


Family Matters

by AXEe



Series: Family Matters [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Future Fic, famly fic, some possible angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2018-08-16 18:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 66
Words: 79,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8112241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe
Summary: Only two of them are related by blood, but whenever one of their own is in trouble, they all come to help





	1. Late-night phone calls are never good

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Senior Day](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6704833) by [Anonymississippi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymississippi/pseuds/Anonymississippi). 
  * Inspired by [We're Married?!?!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7324168) by [Anonymississippi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymississippi/pseuds/Anonymississippi). 



> There's a pairing here that not everyone might agree with, just a warning

Astra Danvers (nee In-ze) was many things; she was a former general in Krypton’s Military Guild, a former inmate of Fort Rozz, a wife once upon a time, a widow, and now a DEO agent and wife again. 

Among these various titles and designations she was also, like most of Earth’s population, fast asleep at three a.m. So, she was not pleased when the phone rang at exactly three forty-five a.m. Shaking off the proverbial cobwebs, she frowned at the still-empty side of the bed; Alex was still on assignment hunting down a nest of Hellgermites somewhere in South America, which meant that her wife was left with an empty bed for the last week or so (although J’onn had mentioned that things were going well and that Alex would be back in a few days).

Scowling at the ringing phone, Astra struggled with it for a few seconds, trying to ensure she didn’t accidently crush it as she answered it, that had actually happened once, and she didn’t want a repeat. Finally getting her hands to cooperate, she answered the call

“Hello?” she slurred out, still somewhat half asleep, she sat up slightly at the voice on the other end “CJ? What’s wrong?” she bolted up upright “you’re _where?!"_

******

A few minutes after Astra picked the phone, halfway across town, another phone rang

“Hello?” James Olsen grumbled into the receiver 

_“James?”_ a familiar voice asked, James sat up, rubbing his eyes 

“Astra?” he asked

_“Yes,”_ the former general answered _“I’m sorry to wake you, but it’s urgent. Is Kara there?”_

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” James sat up, flicking on the light, causing a grumble from his bedmate, he turned over and nudged the lump under the covers “Kara,” a grumble and rustle was his only response, he nudged harder, hard enough to push anyone else off the bed. Finally the covers flicked back, and a bright blue, slightly bloodshot, eye glared out at him 

“This had better be important” Kara snarled, James simply held out the phone 

“It’s Astra, sounds important” he said, complexly unaffected by her glare (which actually made her look more like an angry puppy than an angry Kryptonian). Kara sighed and took the phone from him 

“Aunt Astra,” she began “I love you, but it’s—” 

_“CJ’s been arrested”_ Astra interrupted, Kara bolted upright 

“What?!” 

“What is it?” James asked 

“Astra hang on,” Kara covered the mouthpiece and turned to her husband “CJ’s been arrested” she explained, James blinked, looking stunned 

“I’ll, uh, I’ll get dressed and, uh, call Lucy” he finally managed, throwing back the covers 

******

While Kara talked with Astra, James did as promised and called Lucy, and once again, halfway across town, yet another phone rang

“Hello?” Winn answered 

“Oh, sorry, Winn,” James apologized “didn’t mean to wake you” 

“No, s’ok, ‘ames,” Winn mumbled, he was still wiped from a night of binge gaming, not that his girlfriend minded, she was the one who kicked his ass after all “what’s up?” he asked, a little more awake 

“Uh, is Lucy there?” James asked

“Uh, yeah,” Winn grunted, he rolled over and poked the lump next to him “hey, Luce?” there was a snort, a gurgle, and finally a sleepy answer of

“Not’ow’m’ired” 

“No, uh, it’s James” Winn explained 

“Huhh?" 

“James, you know, James Olsen,” Winn shook his head in disbelief, for a former U.S. Army major-turned-Assistant Director-of-the-DEO Lucy Lane slept like the dead, Winn was convinced that, once she was fully out, nothing short of a nuclear explosion going off right next to her head could wake her. Fortunately, this time, she was only half-asleep “you know, your ex-boyfriend, Kara’s husband?” he hinted, there was another snort, another gurgle, and then

“I’m up, I’m up,” Lucy rolled over and held out her hand for the phone “James?” 

“Hey, Luce,” James greeted “sorry to wake you, but, uh, we’ve got something of a family emergency going on here”

“What kind of family emergency?” Lucy asked, now wide awake and sitting up, plans of attack and countermeasures already filling her head

“A _regular_ family emergency,” James explained quickly, Lucy relaxed slightly, regular family emergencies meant ER visits because someone had slipped the shower, unusual family emergencies meant you were at the ER because some crazy alien had just tried to find out what you looked like on the inside “Astra just called us,” James explained “CJ’s in jail” Lucy blinked “Lucy? You there?” James called out when he didn’t get an answer

“Yeah,” Lucy finally answered “I’m here, I must still be dreaming, because I could’ve have sworn that you just said that Astra called you and told you that CJ’s in jail”

“I did” James answered, Lucy blinked again

“CJ...,” she repeated slowly, it still didn’t make sense “as in…‘Connor’?... _Our_ ‘Connor’?”

“The very same” James replied, Lucy blinked again

“Hang on,” she held out the phone to Winn “listen to this” she said, Winn took the phone from her

“James?”

“Winn?”

“Yeah, what’s going on? Lucy just said that you said that Astra just called you guys and said that CJ’s in jail?”

“I did” James repeated, Winn nodded, even though James couldn’t see him

“Uh, OK,” Winn began “uh, we’ll, uh, get dressed and, uh, meet you there"

“OK, thanks man” James said

“Anytime,” Winn mumbled as James hung up. Winn turned to stare at Lucy, who looked just as shocked as he did “CJ? In jail?”

******

The National City Police Department’s Third Precinct was a non-descript brick building that looked like almost every other police precinct in the city, the only thing that set this particular precinct apart from the others (at least, at the moment) was the fact that a Kryptonian general was currently pacing outside. As she paced, Astra was torn between fear and fury, part of her wanted to just storm in there and get CJ out, while another part of her wanted to storm in there and throttle CJ. A car pulling up to the curb broke Astra out of her thoughts, and she smiled with relief as Kara and James climbed out, as they did another car pulled up, Winn and Lucy climbing out. The two couples approached Astra at the same time, and began demanding answers at the same time

“What happened?"

“Is she all right?”

“What are the charges?”

“It’s got to be a mistake!”

“It’s gotta be”

“All right, all right!!” Astra held up her hands and waited until everyone quieted down “to answer your questions, I don’t know what happened, all I do know is that CJ called me about half an hour ago and told me that she’d been arrested, aside from that, I’m just as in the dark as you”

“Well, what we are waiting for, General?” Lucy demanded “let’s get in there!” she snarled, sounding like a soldier just itching for a fight

“OK!” Winn gripped Lucy’s shoulders and held her back “I think we need to go cold turkey on the _Halo_ binge nights for you” he muttered

“Agreed” everyone else chorused, Astra frowned

“Wait,” she said “if both Lucy and Winn are here, then who’s watching Alura?" 

“Oh, James and I got J’onn and Susan to babysit” Kara answered

“You got a Martian and Agent Vasquez to babysit your daughter?” Lucy asked, sounding dubious

“What? J’onn’s good with kids, so’s Susan,” Kara defended her choice of emergency babysitters “besides,” she added “Lura didn’t get arrested”

“Yes, well,” Astra ground out “my parenting skills aside, Kara, perhaps we can focus on the issue at hand? Namely getting _my_ daughter out of jail?” Kara held up her hands in surrender and had the decency to look both sheepish and sleepy. Astra nodded towards the doors “shall we?”

******

Connor Jeremiah Danvers—affectionately known as ‘C.J.’ to her family and friends—buried her face in her hands, her dark curls falling around her head. This could not be happening, why was it happening now, in front of practically the entire school no less. The sixteen year-old groaned and mentally swore to never go to another party ever again

“Tell me exactly why I shouldn’t just leave you here for the night,” a voice from outside the cell suddenly demanded, CJ tentatively looked up, grimacing as she saw Astra standing there, the teen cringed at Astra’s tone “I’m waiting” the general growled out in a tone that had made even her most battle-hardened troops back on Krypton cringe, a tone that had, for a time, earned her undisputed rule over the Fort Rozz escapees

“It was an accident!” CJ blurted out, Astra nodded slowly, her general’s mask still firmly in place 

“Go on” 

“This guy got fresh with me, I…I pushed him away, and…he…he just…” 

“…he just flew nearly six feet across the room to finally land of the buffet table, breaking his clavicle and right arm in the process” Astra finished, CJ nodded quietly

“It was an accident” she muttered

“An accident which could have been easily avoided if you had been at home and in bed instead of out at a party at three in the morning!” Astra snarled, she threw up her hands in frustration “Rao’s light, CJ! You know better! You’re lucky that boy wasn’t hurt worse than he was, and be glad that his parents haven’t decided to press assault charges. Yet!” she started to pace back and forth in front of the cell, trying to vent her angry and worry “if we’ve told you once, we’ve told a thousand times, you, of all people, have to be more careful, that means no sports, few extracurricular activities, and no parties” she snarled in frustration

“I just...,” CJ faltered “I just wanted…” Astra stopped pacing, sagging as she realized what exactly had happened

“…you just wanted to fit in,” she sighed “I know”

“What do you know about it?” the teen spat bitterly. Astra sighed again, and then slowly sat down on the bench outside the cell, the one reserved for attorneys and priests

“I know,” she began “because I’ve been in your position before, remember? So has your Mom, and your Aunt Kara, and your Uncle Winn. All of us were seen as…oddities when we were growing up, I was a twin in a society where nothing less than perfection was allowed, your Mom had a strange girl suddenly appear on her doorstep one day and was told to treat her like a sister, your Aunt Kara struggled to master her abilities, hiding her very nature, repressing her desire to help others for years, just to ‘fit in’, Winn saw his father be arrested and charged with murder when he was only eleven, Lucy constantly living her sister’s shadow, trying to impress her father. Even your Uncle J’onn, he spent years wearing another man’s face, afraid that he’d be hunted down if people knew who he really was. Believe me, my dear one; I know,” she frowned as she gathered her thoughts “there’s an old saying: ‘if you have to make them like you, then they aren’t worth being your friends’,” CJ stared at her, Astra smiled softly “something my sister taught me,” she stood up “now then, do you want to get out of here?” she asked, the girl nodded

******

When they emerged from the holding cells the rest of the group instantly crowed around them, Astra stepped back slightly and allowed Kara and the others to pepper her daughter with questions. She smiled as she saw the concern on their faces as they surrounded CJ. CJ was wrong, Astra realized suddenly. Who needed to worry about being popular, who needed friends, even, when you had family that cared this much? All of them, Kara, James, Winn, Lucy, even J’onn she knew would gladly endure all the tortures that Fort Rozz had to offer just to get one of their own back if any one of them was in some kind if trouble. 

El mayra, Astra thought with a small smile, stronger together.  



	2. More Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astra and CJ get home, Alex returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the update of Family Matters!! Up ahead...more family fluff

******

Entering the apartment, Astra sighed and sank down on the couch, strange how waiting in a police station for news about your daughter could make you so exhausted. Glancing up, she saw CJ fidgeting in the doorway, Astra frowned at her daughter. In appearance she resembled both her mothers, with fair skin and dark hair. She had Astra’s eyes and high cheekbones and Alex’s nose, and in recent years she’d taken to dying a streak of blue in her hair (cropped short like Alex's) in the same place as Astra's white streak. She wasn’t particularly tall, but she was thin and lithe like Astra.

Out of the two Danvers/Olsen girls, however, CJ had turned out more like Kara in personality rather than Alex or Astra. She was sweet, kind, compassionate, good-natured, with a penchant for flowing dresses and soft cardigans rather than blue jeans and t-shirts, but she also, unlike Kara, was somewhat mousy, actually she was _very_ mousy, downright introverted at times. She was the kind of kid who just blended into the background, the kind people barely noticed or remembered. She had few friends aside from her cousin Alura, Kara and James’ daughter, who she had known since birth (the girls were only a year apart in age and were as close as Kara and Alex), and rarely went out of home except from school and the occasion field trip or visits to Grandma Eliza or Grandma Olsen

Maybe this had been inevitable Astra thought with a sudden chill. Maybe it had been their fault; maybe they had raised CJ to be so concerned about keeping her powers a secret that she had just…withdrawn

Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, because, as a result of, and so on

Astra shook herself out of her thoughts, maybes were all well and good, but they solved nothing

“CJ,” she beckoned her daughter over to the couch “do you want to tell me why you snuck out tonight?” the teen slowly sat down next to her

“Alura has been bugging me,” she began “telling me how boring I was for weeks, about how everyone at school was going to be at this party”

“And I’m sure she said that you’d be forever branded a social outcast or a ‘freak’ if you didn’t go,” Astra sighed, honestly, despite sharing her late sister’s name, Alura Olsen had none of her heart or compassion. CJ nodded quietly “so how was it?” Astra asked “the party”

“Loud,” CJ answered “smelly, crowded” Astra chuckled

“And did you at least enjoy yourself until the police were called?” she asked

“No”

“Good,” Astra proclaimed “you shouldn’t have, you were breaking curfew,” she sighed “that being said, I’m glad that you’re all right” she pulled her daughter into a tight, fierce hug

“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” CJ asked as they pulled apart

“Yes,” Astra answered “but we can discuss that tomorrow, right now just go to bed, you’ve had enough punishment for the day”

******

Astra rolled over in her own (unfortunately still empty) bed and got the shock of her life. She jerked up at the sight of Alex lying next her, smirking. The younger woman was still dressed in her tactical gear, she still had her boots on, and, distantly, Astra knew that she shouldn’t be happy about that, because that meant that the mud would stain the sheets, which meant that they’d have to be changed, but her brain was still in shock

“Days,” Astra finally blurted out; she mentally congratulated herself on regaining her ability to not only speak but speak in the right language. Soon after that her brain and her mouth seemed to reach some kind of agreement and something resembling a sentence squeaked out past her lips “you’re not supposed to be back for days”

“Lucy called, told me what happened,” Alex explained “caught an earlier flight,” she quirked an eyebrow at Astra “you don’t mind, do you?” she teased

“No, no, of course not,” Astra mumbled with a shake of her head “it’s just…uh…I’m…not, uh, ready,” she mumbled out as the peace treaty between her mouth and brain broke down only minutes after being signed, leaving her speechless again. What she said was true though, in all of Astra’s fantasies these past few weeks, Alex had come home to a perfectly made up Astra in a perfectly made up apartment and with nary a teenage girl in sight. Instead Alex had come home to an Astra who had been forced to drag her butt out of bed at three a.m. to bail their daughter out of jail and had then come back home only to immediately fall right back asleep still wearing her blue jeans “I must look terrible” Astra muttered, suddenly feeling self-conscious in her ratty t-shirt (Alex’s old collage shirt), jeans, and a serious case of bedhead. But feeling strange and discombobulated around Alex wasn’t new for Astra, ever since they met, all those years ago in that abandoned warehouse, Alex had always thrown her for a loop

“Could’ve fooled me” Alex murmured, gently pressing herself against Astra and rolling over onto her back, pulling Astra with her so that the other woman was now comfortably resting on top of her

“Don’t kiss me,” Astra requested as Alex leaned in “I have…morning….uh….” words continued to fail her as Alex pulled her into a searing, toe-curling kiss. When they finally pulled apart for air, Alex grinned up at Astra

“You were saying?” she teased

“Huh?” Astra mumbled. She’d been talking? Why by Rao’s light had she been talking when she could be doing so much better things with her mouth? She leaned in for another kiss

The door opened

“Hey, Mother, did you hear---Mom!” CJ suddenly burst in, rats, Astra instinctively pulled away from Alex so fast she wasn’t even aware that she’d moved. Grinning, CJ rushed over to the bed, pulling Alex into a hug

“Hey!” Alex grinned “there’s my girl!” to the side Astra smirked as she watched them hug, any minute now “oh, I’ve missed you so much—and you are in so much trouble!! What the hell were you thinking?! Well, I guess you obviously weren’t considering you got yourself arrested!!”

There it was

Astra just sat back and let Alex rant and rave, she was always the better disciplinarian compared to Astra, as for Astra herself, she needed food, lots of food


	3. Even more Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and James' turn now

******

About a week after CJ’s encounter with National City’s finest, Kara blinked at her cellphone, or rather; she blinked at the caller ID, which read ‘Alura, school’.

That….wasn’t good.

Nope, defiantly not good.

Cringing, Kara took a breath, prayed that Cat wouldn’t threaten to fire her again (although it’d be the fourth time this week so she’d probably be safe), and answered the call

“Hello?”

 _“Mrs. Olsen?”_ a woman’s voice asked

“Ms. Danvers, yes” Kara replied

 _“This is Principal Sigel’s office at Otto Binder High”_ the woman explained

“Yes?” Kara asked ‘get to the point’, she thought irritably, she’d had a rough day, Cat was on the warpath, the printing presses went down again, and—to top it all off—there’d been a five alarm fire, a bank robbery, an armored car robbery (which was technically a part of the bank robbery), a pileup on the freeway, and an honest-to-god _shipwreck_ all in the space of two hours. Frankly Kara was tired 

_“I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask your and your husband to come down here”_ the woman explained

“Why?” Kara asked “is something wrong?”

 _“I’m afraid I can’t discuss it over the phone,”_ the woman apologized _“all I can say is that it concerns your daughter, Alura”_ she explained

“We’ll be right over!” Kara said quickly, she hung up and bolted out of her chair

“Ker-iah!”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Grant, family emergency!” Kara called over her shoulder as she all but barreled into James’ office. James blinked up at her “the school just called, they want us down there, like, right now!” she explained, James quickly dropped the photos in his hands

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” he said, grabbing his bag “come on, let’s go,” they quickly left the office, ignoring Cat’s rather imaginative threat of ‘if you two aren’t back here last week you are both going to be fired…possibly out of a cannon!’ as well as Winn’s disapproving frown, and made their way to the elevators “the express?” James asked as the doors closed

“Yeah, I think so” Kara quickly shrugged off her blouse, the Crest of El standing proudly on her chest

******

A short flight later, Kara and James landed in the bushes outside Otto Binder High School, Kara quickly changed back into her civilian clothes, while James tried to keep hold of his lunch

“We _really_ need to work on your turns” he grumbled

“Later!” Kara snapped, already marching towards the school’s doors, an aura of worry and protective rage surrounding her, and James was suddenly reminded of how mother bears would—and could—easily kill a male three times their size in order to protect her cubs

 _‘I guess we should be glad its not Astra or Alex’_ he thought as he hurried to follow Kara inside, god only knew what those two would do in Kara’s position

Burn down the school, most likely

******

As Kara stormed into the principal’s office (with James quietly following) she was ready to defend her daughter, ready to tear through any accusations with merciless Mom-Logic, fully prepared and willing to decimate her opponents and leave no survivors in her wake. She was drawn up short, however, at the sight of Alex and Astra sitting in the front of Principal Sigel’s desk, a sullen-looking CJ sitting with them

“What are you guys doing here?” Kara finally managed to ask as she and James walked inside

“These two knuckleheads here got into a fight” Alex grunted, jerking her thumb at their respective daughters

“With who?” James asked as he and Kara awkwardly sat down next to Alura

“Each other,” Astra answered with a grimace “it seems that Alura is no longer content to merely defend CJ, she now wants to become CJ’s _attacker_ as well as her defender” she glowered at her grandniece

“She didn’t hit me!” CJ interrupted

“Quiet!” Alex snapped “you’re already in enough trouble after that whole debacle last week, missy!”

“Did the parents press charges?” Kara asked

“Thankfully no,” Alex answered “but that doesn’t mean she’s out of the woods yet”

“No, of course not” James agreed

“Ahem!” the two couples turned their attention to Principal Sigel “if I might interrupt?” he asked a bit sarcastically, he nodded to himself and glanced down at the paperwork “now then, just to clarify, you’re all related, how exactly?”

******

It had only taken about two minutes for the two couples to explain their relation to Principal Sigel, and it had only taken about two minutes for him to develop a raging headache. He’d been a high school principal for nearly twenty years, he liked his job, he liked meeting the parents of the students, and he considered himself a fairly open-minded man, having seen his fair share of odd families, but this one…this one took the prize, especially with the arrival of two newcomers, a Winn Schott Jr. and a Lucy Lane

“All right,” he sighed “let’s go over it again. Now, you,” he pointed at Astra “are her,” Kara this time “aunt, correct?”

“That’s correct” Astra nodded, Sigel nodded to himself, two down

“Now, you,” he pointed to Kara again “are her,” Alex now “sister”

“Foster sister, yes” Kara answered, Sigel nodded, that made much more sense, and was also much less creepy

“And you,” Alex again “are married to her,” Astra once more “who is her,” Kara again “aunt”

“That’s right” Alex said

“All right, now you,” James’ turn “are married to her,” Kara again “but you used to date her” Lucy this time

“That’s right” Sigel nodded, he pointed at Winn

“Now you, young man, are dating her,” Lucy once more “and you are friends with her and her husband,” Kara and James again “as well as being friends with them” Alex and Astra once

“That’s it, yeah,” Winn answered "I also work with them" he gestured to Kara and James, Sigel nodded yet again, at least that one was easy

“Now, this young woman,” Alura “is your,” Kara and James “daughter. And this young woman,” CJ now “is your,” Alex and Astra “daughter”

“That’s right” Alex answered, Sigel nodded

“Now, since, you,” he pointed at Kara “and you,” Astra “are related, and you,” Kara “are her,” Alex “foster sister, that’s means that they,” CJ and Alura “are cousins”

“Exactly right,” Astra praised “it’s actually very simple,” she explained “would you like us to go over it again?” she offered sweetly

“No, please!” Sigel all but bolted out his chair, he took a breath “now then, getting back to the matter at hand, there was an altercation between these two young women, several witnesses reported that they were caught in a shoving match in the gym this afternoon, now of course the school doesn’t tolerate fighting of any kind, and this does normally result in students being expelled, but seeing as this is Ms. Danvers’ first offense, we’d being willing to downgrade to only a week’s suspension, which won’t go on her permanent record,” Alex and Astra sighed with relief “now, as to Ms. Olsen, seeing as she has gotten into several fights over the past year, I’m afraid we’ll have to suspend her for a month”

“Why are you suspending her instead of expelling her?” Winn asked “not, not that I’m complaining” he added quickly when everyone else glared at him, Principal Sigel smiled

“Well, Mr. Schott, we were originally planning on doing just that, but after seeing what a strong and caring family she has, I think a stern warning will be enough for now,” he explained “of course,” he added “if this continues, then I’m afraid that the school will have no choice but to expel her”

“Don’t worry, Principal Sigel,.” Kara growled, a hand on her daughter’s shoulder “it won’t happen again”

“I certainly hope not.” Sigel said “expulsion from school, especially high school, can sometimes tear families apart, and I’d hate to see that happen to such a caring one as yours, Ms. Danvers,” he smiled at Kara “well,” he said as he gathered his paper “I think that’s all for now” as the family filed out of his office, Sigel watched as they seemed to huddle protectively around the two teens, it was almost instinctive the way they did it, like they weren’t even aware that they were doing it. Sigel smiled to himself

A strange family? Yes

A loving, protective family? Also yes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: I just realized that with Alex and Astra being married, that means that Astra is now both Kara's aunt as well as her sister-in-law


	4. You Guessed it...more Family Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm finally updating Family Matters (yay!!) and in case you're wondering, I haven't forgotten about Part Four of What we are, that last chapter is still in the works, BTW just caught the new season premiere, and I'm pissed about Kara and James, how dare they?!!
> 
> Anyway, here's chapter four of Family Matters, and, no, there is no real plot here, just sappy family fluff ;-)

******

“All right books on the table and give me your cell phone” Kara ordered as the three members of the Danvers/Olsen family walked through the apartment door. She sighed as Alura threw her backpack down and dropped onto the couch with an air of teenaged defiance, dropping her phone on the coffee table with an air of ‘here, take it!’, as she bent to pick up the phone Kara studied her daughter, unknowingly mimicking Astra several days ago.

Alura had inherited her father’s dark hair and her mother’s bright blue eyes, those two features, combined with her dark, mocha-colored skin (which at times made her look like a frightening double of Lucy), ensured that she would most likely grow up to be heartbreaker. But while she had certainly had the looks, her personality was somewhat…rough around the edges. Unlike her cousin CJ, Alura (or ‘Ally’ as she preferred to be called) was very much a tomboy, to the point of having a personality that bordered on ‘caustic’.

She was rude; she frequently cursed (loudly and using swear words her parents didn’t even know _existed_ ), she was always talking back to everyone, including her parents (Kara still shivered at the memory of the time her own daughter had actually told her to ‘fuck off’, Kara had nearly thrown the girl through a wall she was so livid, and the resulting ass chewing that Kara had delivered had left her shaking with rage, fortunately there had been a nice rouge alien for her to beat up in order to get her aggressions out, and Kara still swore that Astra had actually let him get away just so that she would have an excuse to go postal on him, not that Astra would actually admit that of course).

Even Alura's appearance was different from CJ’s, while CJ liked cardigans and dresses, Alura preferred blue jeans and t-shirts, where CJ wore a little makeup, Alura wore none. Even now her clothing consisted of a pair of torn blue jeans, heavy combat boots, a black t-shirt which said ‘BITE ME’ in bright red letters, and her dark hair was cut short and spiked. If her skin wasn’t bulletproof, Kara was certain that her daughter would probably be sporting several rude tattoos and piercings in various unmentionable places (ouch!)

“Kara,” James prompted quietly “we’ve got a problem”

“Yeah, I know,” Kara replied “our daughter’s a juvenile delinquent in the making”

“Uh, no, not that,” James said “we’ve both got to get back to work” he reminded her

“So…we’ll just take her with us” Kara shrugged, James gave her a look you might give an idiot

“Think about what you just said for a moment” he said, Kara’s eyes widened as she imagined, in full living Technicolor, just what _exactly_ could happen if Alura came with them to CatCo, if things went well, it might only end with one or both them getting fired, if things went bad, like Alura—rude, loud, opinionated, _anti-authority_ Alura—actually meeting Ms. Grant in person and actually talking to her…they might end up actually being banned from the city. Hell from the state. Maybe even the country

“So we’ll let her stay home,” she finally suggested, again James gave her the idiot look, Kara cringed “right, I forgot” she mumbled

“So…what do we do?” James asked, Kara sighed 

“The only thing we can do” she answered grimly


	5. And round and round we go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOUBLE UPDATE!!! HA-HA-HA!!

******

“Sit!” Alex ordered, nudging her daughter towards a chair as she, Astra, and CJ walked into the DEO

“Agent Danvers, Agent In-ze,” J’onn acknowledged as he came over “I didn’t realize it was ‘bring you daughter to work’ day” he drawled sarcastically as he nodded to the teen, Alex sighed while Astra snickered behind her hand, J’onn almost always said that whenever one of the Danvers/Olsen girls dropped by the DEO for a visit. Both CJ and Alura had practically grown up at the DEO, since both Kara and Alex refused to keep secrets from their children, and so the DEO had been something of a strange second home for the girls growing up (they both born there actually). They both were on a first name basis with Vasquez and Dr. Hamilton, and most of the other ‘lifers’ knew the girls either personally or at least by reputation, and they often came and went as they pleased, completely ignoring the security grid (hell, half the guards knew them by name by now).

And since the day they first arrived at the DEO as two little screaming pink bundles, it had become something of a tradition for J’onn to complain to either Alex, Astra, or Kara about the DEO not being a place for children (when they were little one of their parents, usually Kara or Astra, would bring them over, officially due to not trusting a babysitter to watch a Krypton/Human hybrid, but really just to show them off) but he wouldn’t actually do anything to stop it from continuing, he just changed his complaint. When the girls had been young it had been about children wandering into dangerous areas, and now in their teens the complaints were about gossipy teenagers on Facebook and Twitter.

“She’s been suspended,” Alex sighed, nodding to CJ “and we can’t leave her at home since the last time we did, she accidently set the kitchen on fire trying to use the microwave, and we can’t leave her with Kara because she and James have their hands full with Alura, so…” she trailed off and shrugged helplessly, J’onn nodded and looked like he was going to say something when Kara marched in, all but dragging Alura with her who was loudly protesting

“Are there any kryptonite cells free?” Kara asked casually as she approached the three, as if she was asking if anyone wanted coffee

“Why…do you want to know?” Alex asked confused

“I need somewhere to put her,” Kara nodded to her daughter “so James and I can go to work,” she explained, J’onn sighed and rubbed at his forehead, and not for the first time, did Alex wonder if Martians—in human form or not—could get headaches “well, I can’t just leave her home alone,” Kara insisted “not after what happened last time” she added, Astra choked and Alex paled.

“Cell twenty-four!” they both said at once, frantically pointing. Kara smiled at them both and calmly dragged her still-loudly protesting daughter down the hall towards cell twenty-four. J’onn turned to the two women

“Do I want to know?” he asked

“No!” they both said at once

“It’s just too…,” Alex tried; she shook her head “just…no words”

“I can still see it” Astra complained, looking sick

“Oh, god, now I can too” Alex groaned. What had happened the last—and so far only—time that Alura had been left home alone had since become known among the extended Danvers/Olsen/Lane/Schott family simply as ‘The Incident’, capital ‘T’, capital ‘I’, and was so horrible that it was never mentioned in any detail unless absolutely necessary, the story would probably be passed down the through the family as a dark and horrible skeleton in the closet, guaranteed to ruin any chances of a future political career should it escape.

Suffice it to say, in the direct aftermath of The Incident, both the police and fire department had been called, as had animal control, along with Alex and Astra. Kara had cried, and the building’s super was still upping their rent first ahead of everyone else.

J’onn stared at the two women before he turned his attention to his goddaughter. CJ was calmly doing her homework, having completely ignored—if she even noticed—the mention of The Incident. J’onn shook his head and stalked off muttering about Kryptonians and their families


	6. Someone else's Family Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Chapter Six of Family Matters, thanks to polybi for commenting, I was afraid that this fic was going to become one of those lonely people who go to parties and spend an hour staring at a potted plant ;-). Anyway, I also updated Strange Visitor _and_ Part Five of What we are (yay!!)

******

“Hey, Alex?” Lucy asked

“Yeah?” Alex grunted, not even bothering to look up from the microscope

“Why…is one of my goddaughters in a kryptonite cell?” Lucy wondered

“Because Kara put her there” Lucy sighed

“God, Astra’s right, you’re terrible when you’re not listening,” she muttered “OK, no, focus on the words coming out of my mouth,” Alex looked up, blinking a bit and looking a little dazed “why,” Lucy began slowly “is Alura in a kryptonite cell?”

“Because,” Alex began, just as slowly “Kara. Put. Her. In. There. So. She. And. James. Could. Go. To. Work. And. Not. Worry. About. A. Repeat. Of. The. Incident” Lucy cringed

“Oh, god, don’t mention that!” she shuddered “I can see still it! With the, the _thing_! And the stains! And the—ugh!”

“Which is why Alura is cell twenty-four,” Alex nodded, she sighed “god, do you remember when she was still well-behaved?” she wondered, Lucy chuckled

“Do you remember how she used to love pulling on Astra’s hair and putting it in her mouth?” Alex chuckled

“I remember Astra’s constant ‘complaining’ about it,” she muttered dryly “of course one time I actually saw her give Alura her hair to munch on”

“Hey, Alex?” Lucy asked softly “what’s it like?” Alex blinked

“What’s what like?” she asked

“Being a mom” Alex blinked

“Lucy,” she began “are you and Winn thinking about…?” she trailed off, not quite sure how to finish the question, Lucy looked away

“We haven’t really discussed it,” she admitted “I mean it wouldn’t be _that_ bad, you know, I mean we’ve been dating almost as long as you and Astra have been married, and its not we _have_ to get married first or even _be_ married in the first place nowadays, and we've both got steady, good paying jobs--although Winn should really consider taking up J'onn on that DEO job offer--but…”

“It’s still a big step,” Alex nodded “trust me, I get it, I was terrified throughout the entire time we were doing IVF treatments, I kept wondering if we were doing the right thing, if we were the right kind of people to be parents, and then, of course, Astra got all paranoid during the entire time I was pregnant”

“Yeah” Lucy mumbled, Alex reached out and put a hand on Lucy’s shoulder

“Have actually _talked_ to Winn about it?” she asked, Lucy shook her head

“Not really, I mean, I never exactly saw myself as the, you know, ‘mom’ type, and then with my job and the hours, and the fact that I could actually get killed, but, despite all of that…”

"You're seriously considering it" Alex nodded along, Lucy sighed

"Yeah" she grunted

“Sounds to me like your biological clock’s ticking” Alex remarked, Lucy scowled

“You sound like Lois” she spat, Alex chuckled

“Don’t be insulting,” she teased “but it’s true,” she agreed “maybe, subconsciously, you’ve decided that you _do_ want kids, that now's the right time in your life, despite the job, and hours, and the possible death”

“I don’t know” Lucy huffed

"Hey, you think that it doesn't scare _me_?" Alex asked "that it doesn't scare both us? That Astra and I don't worry _everyday_ that we might not come back home to CJ?"

"Well, then how do you do it?" Lucy wondered, Alex shrugged

"We just...take it one day at a time," she explained "because you can't think ahead like that, if you worry about the future in that way then you'll drive yourself nuts" Lucy sighed

“I’ll tell you one thing though,” she said at last “Winn would make a great dad” Alex grinned

“Of course he would, he’s still a kid himself,” they both laughed “hey,” Alex said gently “you’d make a great mom, Luce,” she said “I mean it,” she insisted “the fact that you’re worrying about being a good mom or not _now_ is proof,” she gave Lucy's shoulder a squeeze "talk to Winn," she advised "tell him what you want, ask him what he thinks"

“Yeah” Lucy muttered as she turned to leave "I think I'll do that" she muttered, looking completely unconvinced


	7. The Mouse That Roared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy has a talk with CJ and things get a little crazy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Chapter Seven of Family Matters, I'm glad to see people are commenting on this one, even if it is only two people at the moment, but I'm hoping that more of you will comment on this one. Anyway there's a bit of action in this one, not too much and no one dies or something like that, but just a warning
> 
> Also, I liked the whole 'alien amnesty act' mentioned in the recent episode so that's been folded into Family Matters, as has the character of Maggie Sawyer
> 
> Anyhow ONWARDS

******

Lucy sighed as she trudged away from Alex’s lab. She debated calling Winn right away before she lost her nerve but decided against it, figuring that it probably wouldn’t be good if he fainted right in the middle of CatCo. Still grumbling she found she was now standing in the middle of the room staring off into space, glowering at the small group of agents staring at her, she stalked away, finding herself heading towards the main operations table where CJ still sat.

Lucy paused and studied her goddaughter for a moment. Although she favored long flowing dresses and cardigans like Kara, CJ also preferred the color black like her mothers, as well as more vintage-style clothing, leading to an overall look that Winn—in his endlessly glorious ‘geekness’ that Lucy secretly loved despite all her complaining—had dubbed ‘wholesome Goth chick’.

Even now, CJ was wearing a long black lace-edged dress that stopped just above her ankles, showing off the black, knee-high lace-up boots she was wearing with quarter-inch heels and pointed toes. Over the dress was a black cardigan (under which Lucy could see that the dress itself was actually strapless, CJ was not as mousy as people thought she was), even her makeup was black, with black eyeliner, dark red lipstick, and black fingernails (Lucy couldn’t see her toes but could guess that they were probably painted black as well). In fact the only bit of color in CJ’s entire ensemble was in her hair, a streak of bright iridescent blue dyed in her short-cropped reddish-brown hair in the same place as Astra’s white streak, and a large fake red rose, which sat above her left ear next to the blue streak

Shaking herself out of her thoughts Lucy sat down next to CJ

“Hey, CJ,” she said, CJ only grunted as she kept writing, which wasn’t unusual, like Alex (and Astra to a certain extent) she often got tunnel vision whenever she was working, often needing someone to snap her out of it and remind her to do little things.

Like eating. Or sleeping. Or bathing.

She even got drawn in when she was relaxing, and would happily bury herself in a good book (or more than one) for hours on end unless Alex or Astra pulled her out long enough to eat or take a bath “what are you working on there?” Lucy asked, CJ slowly looked up, blinking like an owl behind her glasses (worn out of actual need, since the difference in Kryptonian eyes versus humans eyes gave her x-ray vision, but no heat vision and a mild case of near-sightedness, unlike Alura who had perfect 20/20 vision and heat vision but no x-ray vision)

“Huh? Oh, hi Aunt Lucy,” she said “uh,” she looked down at the slip of paper she writing on sheepishly “it’s, uh,” she pushed the paper towards Lucy, blushing “please don’t Mom or Mother” she pleaded, now concerned, Lucy took the paper and read the first line

Application for Otto Binder High School Soccer Team Tryouts

It read. The rest of the relevant information, address, phone number, emergency contact information, had all been filled out; the only thing that was missing was a parent’s signature

“Soccer tryouts huh?” Lucy asked, CJ nodded, biting her lip and absently twirling the blue streak in her hair (a nervous habit she’d picked up from Astra, although whether it was actually inherited or just copied Lucy didn’t know). Lucy sighed, idly rubbing at her forehead “CJ…” she began hesitantly

“I know, I know,” CJ interrupted “it’s not safe, I could seriously hurt someone with my powers, I or someone in my family could get hurt if people find out that I’m half alien,” she snarled in frustration “I get it, OK? I’ve heard that almost everyday of my life and I’m finally fucking sick of it!” she exclaimed, Lucy blinked, surprised at the outburst from the normally quiet and polite CJ

“I wasn’t going to say that” she said at last, CJ blinked, reminding Lucy of Kara

“You weren’t?” she asked

“No”

“Oh. Sorry” CJ looked away

“OK, look,” Lucy began “I’m not your moms, and I’m not trying to be them, so if you think I’m going to sign this you’ve got another thing coming”

“Actually,” CJ began “I was kind of thinking of asking Alura to sign it”

“Alura?” Lucy asked

“Yeah,” CJ enthused “she’s been forging Aunt Kara’s signature for years—oh!” she covered her mouth in shook, grey-green eyes widening in horror from behind her glasses, Lucy smirked

“You _do_ know that the first thing I’m doing once we’re done talking is tell your Aunt Kara about that, right?” she asked, CJ nodded, hand still over her mouth “OK, look,” Lucy sighed, she could feel a major headache coming on “I won’t sign it, but _if_ you ask your moms yourself, both of them, _without_ using your juvenile delinquent cousin, then I’ll support you”

“Really?!” CJ asked excitedly, Lucy nodded

“Really” she agreed, CJ squealed in excitement and yanked Lucy into bear hug, easily lifting her up off the ground in her excitement

“Ohthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!” she exclaimed

“OK, OK, OK!” Lucy laughed as CJ easily swung her around like a rag doll. Lucy knew it was bad for her reputation when the only reaction this display got from the other agents was a half-laugh-half-snort from Vasquez “CJ!” she laughed “put me down! I’m getting seasick!” she yelped

“Ohmygosh! I’m so sorry!” CJ quickly put Lucy down “are you OK?” she asked frantically

“I’m fine, squirt” Lucy teased, using the nickname she’d give CJ as a toddler, it had firmly stuck despite CJ’s best efforts

“CJ,” both Lucy and the teen turned to see J’onn walking over “would you mind getting your cousin out of cell twenty-four?” he asked “we need to use it again”

“Oh, yeah, sure” CJ nodded and quickly took off, gently gliding away through the halls of the DEO, her dress billowing and flowing behind her like Kara’s cape

“Remind me again why CJ can fly but Alura can’t?” Lucy wondered

“Because Alex and Astra used a small amount of Green Martian DNA when they undergoing IVF treatments to make sure that the mix of Kryptonian and Human DNA would take” J’onn replied

“Right,” Lucy nodded “literal 'super glue'," she chuckled "hey, does that mean she can shapeshift too?” she asked, J’onn chuckled and shook his head

“No, and she can’t read minds either,” he explained “as far as I know, the only abilities my DNA grant her is the ability to fly and a low-level empathic sense”

“And what does that mean?” Lucy wondered

“She can’t read minds, but she can sense people’s emotions,” J’onn explained “with practice, she might even be able to manipulate them, make people feel what she’s wants them to feel” 

“Yeah,” Lucy snorted “like _CJ_ would ever be _that_ manipulative” J’onn chuckled

“I know,” he said “but she needs to know the limits of her powers, that’s why Alex and Astra insisted on having her trained in how to use them,” he pointed out “and besides,” he added “being able to manipulate a person’s emotions, as ethically and morally outrageous as that sounds, could come in handy one day, she might be able to dissuade an angry mob from killing her simply by making them feel calm and happy”

“Yeah,” Lucy grunted “like a horde of angry PTA members” J’onn frowned at her, Lucy sighed “she wants to tryout for the soccer team at school,” she explained “I promised I’d support her when she talked to her parents about it, but…”

“You think it’s less about soccer and more about her wanting to show the world who she really is” J’onn guessed, or read her mind, Lucy wasn’t quite sure

“Yeah,” Lucy sighed “I mean, I get where’s she coming from, she’s part of the first post-Alien Amnesty generation, so she grew up in a world where aliens are protected citizens by law, but…”

“…most Humans are still uncomfortable around aliens,” J’onn nodded along “and if the parents at the school find out that human-alien hybrid is a student there and around their own children….” J’onn trailed off, Lucy nodded

“And then you add the fact that her parents are both women, and you’ve got a powder keg just waiting to go off,” she sighed and rubbed at her eyes “I can just _see_ the protest march already” she muttered. There was a sudden woosh and CJ softly landed in front of them, one arm wrapped around Alura’s waist

“Sorry,” CJ apologized “got a little lost there for a minute”

“That’s all right,” J’onn assured her, he tapped his comm. “we’re clear, bring him in” he ordered, he and Lucy both moved forward, protectively placing themselves in front of the girls. There was a sudden tension in the air as the other agents in the room stood at the ready, guns drawn and aimed at the hallway that CJ and Alura had just come through.

One major design flaw that been carried over to the DEO’s new facility in National City was an open floor plan, all of the rooms in the building (minus the holding cells) all seamlessly flowed into one another, separated only by glass walls with the main command and control area in the center of it all. Officially—according to the architects—the design was so that if a prisoner escaped, alien or otherwise, he or she would have few places to hide, since everybody could see everybody else they could (hopefully) spot the escapee with ease. In reality, this design meant that every time a prisoner was moved from their cell to say the med bay, it meant that all work had to stop and every agent had to be armed and on their guard.

It also meant that CJ and Alura had nowhere to go that was relatively safe should this particular prisoner escape

Slowly three figures emerged from the hallway, Astra and Alex, both in full tactical gear and each armed with a heavy-looking assault rifle, emerged from the hallway, flaking a third person in heavy chains and kryptonite cuffs

“Is that…?” Alura began, CJ nodded, unable to take her eyes off the trio

“Yeah,” she grunted out “it’s Non”

Non strode forward into the room, still flanked by Alex and Astra. He stopped suddenly in front of Lucy and J’onn, studying them for a moment; he frowned as he spotted the two teenagers behind them

“Come here” he ordered, J’onn crossed his arms over his chest, while Lucy glowered at him

“It’s all right” both Lucy and J’onn tensed as CJ quietly pushed past them and very bravely stepped out in front of them, calmly staring Non down, she was already as tall as Kara now so there wasn't that much difference in height between her and Non. For a long moment the two stared each other down, before Non suddenly turned to Astra

“She has your eyes,” he commented, he turned his head towards Alex “and your fire,” he continued “I commend you, _human_ ,” he rasped “for giving Astra what she’s always wanted” Alex just sneered at him as she shoved the muzzle of her rifle into his back

“Keep moving” she ordered, Non smirked

“No” he hissed, there was a sudden, quiet ‘click’ and the kryptonite cuffs on his wrists suddenly fell away

“HE’S LOSE!!!” someone yelled as Non, in a blur of motion, suddenly swung his arm back, easily throwing Alex away like a toy, before suddenly twisting around and grabbing Astra’s wrists and easily locking the cuffs onto her. He suddenly shot forward, throwing both Lucy and J’onn away before either of them could react, grabbing CJ and twisting around, one arm around her waist, his other hand at her throat, using her as a shield

“Let go of my daughter!!” Alex snarled she climbed to her feet gun raised, while Astra collapsed to the floor, weakened from the kryptonite. J’onn shifted into his true form but other wise kept still, unwilling to risk CJ’s life, while Lucy rushed to Astra’s side and started struggling to undo the cuffs

“You would shoot your own child, human?” Non mocked Alex, she ignored him and glanced at her daughter

“You OK?” she asked

“Peachy!” the teen spat out sarcastically, looking surprisingly calm despite the circumstances

“Quiet!” Non ordered

 _ **“Let her go, Non,”**_ J’onn ordered _**“there’s nowhere for you to go”**_ he added

“Perhaps not,” Non agreed “but I am eager to see if Astra’s _half-breed_ daughter is as good a fighter as her mother”

“Let’s find out” CJ suddenly snarled, her eyes glowing a familiar red as a fiery orange haze surrounded her as she suddenly phased back through Non. Non stumbled, but quickly regained his balance and spun around and took a swing at CJ, but she quickly phased through him again, landing a good punch to his abdomen, before phasing through him a third time and grabbing him from behind in half nelson, with a snarl Non suddenly shot upwards, dragging CJ with him, wildly zigzagging around the room and bashing CJ into the walls.

Down on the ground, Alex rushed to her wife’s side

“How is she?” she asked

“Bad,” Lucy answered as she continued to struggle with the cuffs “she already fading in and out of consciousness, if we don’t get these cuffs off her soon…” she trailed off, not needing to finish that particular sentence, she glanced up at the brawl taking place near the ceiling as J’onn joined in the fight, phasing through Non as well

“Can you get a clear shot?” Lucy asked, Alex shook her head

“No” she whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight of her daughter fighting Non, her and Astra’s worst nightmare come true, as she watched J’onn and CJ each phase through Non, repeating the process every time he tired to hit one of them, making it so that Non was effectively punching air. Finally CJ drew back her arms and delivered a two-fisted punch to Non’s chest, sending him crashing into the ground, shaking the whole building and cracking the floor

“Your parents taught you well,” Non hissed as he struggled to his feet as CJ and J'onn landed “but not well enough” he suddenly shot forward, hitting J’onn with a blast of heat vision, the intense heat threw J’onn back, weakening him. With J’onn temporarily out for the count, Non turned to CJ, only for a blast of heat vision to suddenly slam into his back, throwing him off balance

“Get away from my cousin, asshole!!” Alura snarled as Non struggled to his feet once more. He frowned at Alura for a moment as she came to stand next CJ, as if he was trying to figure out who she was

“Ah, yes, of course,” he hissed “Kara Zor-El would have a child as well,” he sneered at the girls “to think that two half humans like you are the sole female heirs to Houses of El and In-ze” he snarled, the sudden crack of a gunshot rang out and Non suddenly doubled over, falling to the floor in a heap as blood oozed from a wound in his back, the green glow of kryptonite clearly visible inside the wound. CJ and Alura both turned to see Alex standing behind Non still holding a smoking gun

“Containment NOW!!” she bellowed as she holstered her gun and rushed to the girls, dropping to her knees and pulling both into a firm embrace “are you guys OK?” she asked

“We’re OK, Mom” CJ mumbled, her voice muffled by Alex’s shoulder, Alex pulled back and firmly gripped CJ by the shoulders

“Don’t you EVER do something that stupid again!” she snarled

“Wow, way to send mixed messages, auntie” Alura remarked

“Don’t be a smart-ass!” Alex snapped

“Ah-ha! Got ‘em!!” Lucy triumphantly held up the kryptonite cuffs as Astra slowly sat up. She blinked and looked around for a moment before she staggered to her feet and rushed over to Alex and the girls

“They’re OK” Alex assured her, Astra let out a sigh of relief

“Was I hallucinating or did I actually see CJ phase through Non?” she asked, Alex shook her head

“No, that was real,” she turned to her daughter “why didn’t you tell us you could phase?” she asked, CJ shrugged

“I didn’t know I could until about a week ago,” she explained “when I found I could I started practicing,” she shrugged “figured it might come in handy one day”

“Well, looks like today was that day,” J’onn remarked as he got his feet and shifted back into Hank Henshaw, he nodded at Alex and Astra “why don’t you take them both to med bay, we’ll handle things out here” the two women nodded as they quickly gathered the two teens up and lead them into the med bay

Watching them go, Lucy thought back to her earlier conversation with Alex, about how Alex had told her that maybe subconsciously she wanted a child despite the fact that she could very easily leave for work one morning and never come back, and looking around now, Lucy realized that that desire still hadn’t weakened, despite every thing that had just happened in the last few minutes. Making her decision, she pulled out her phone and dialed Winn’s number

_“Hello?”_

“Hey, it’s me,” she greeted “uh, listen; when you get off work can we talk?”

 _“Uh, sure,”_ Winn replied _“is something wrong?”_ he asked, Lucy frowned and glanced around at the carnage around her, watching as Non was placed on a stretcher and carried out of the room

“No,” she finally answered “nothing’s wrong”

 _“OK, I’ll see you after work,”_ Winn replied _“love you”_ Lucy chuckled

“I love you too you nerd” she hung up and turned just in time to see Kara land in the middle of the room. She cringed as Kara focused on her

“LUCY!! WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!?!?” she bellowed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I said that Astra was a widow back in Chapter One, and I was fully intending on having Non be dead but the temptation to see what would happen if he met Alex and Astra's kid was just too great, so now I'm doing what George Lucas did in Return of the Jedi for Darth Vader being Luke's father/killed his father.
> 
> Please be gentle in your comments


	8. The Kids Are All Right, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Non's attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, Chapter Eight of Family Matters, thanks for reading, and I hope more people will comment on this one

******

“Mom! God, stop being such a wet blanket, I’m fine!” Alura exclaimed as Kara refused to let her out of the bear hug she was currently wrapped up in

“You’re going to have to let her go sometime, Supergirl,” Dr. Amelia Hamilton insisted “at least let me have one of her arms!” she exclaimed, struggling to free one of Alura’s arms from Kara’s limpet-like grip “c’mon…let…ah-ha!…go” she finally wrenched one of Alura’s arms free (her right one) and, with Kryptonian-like speed, jabbed a kryptonite-laced needle into the girl’s skin before Kara could stop her

“Ow! Fuck!” Alura swore

“Language!” Kara chastised, even though she was cringing as she watched the needle go in

“Go easy with that thing, will ya?” Alura muttered as Dr. Hamilton swiftly drew three vials of blood before removing the needle, the wound sealing up almost-instantly

“There,” she sighed as she capped the syringe and threw it away in the proper receptacle “that wasn’t so bad, was it?” she grabbed a fresh needle and turned to CJ, who was sitting on the opposite gurney, both of her mothers flanking her protectively “are we going to have any problems here?” Dr. Hamilton asked, giving Alex and Astra each a hard stare, which they both returned. CJ just smiled and offered her arm

“Here you go, Amelia” she said, rolling up her sleeve

“Thank you, CJ” the needle went in easily, and unlike Alura, CJ didn’t make a peep, not even a twitch, and Dr. Hamilton was able to draw three vials of blood with no problem “huh,” she remarked as she gently eased the needle out, unlike Alura, CJ’s wound healed with a crackling red glow, another sign of her Green Martian heritage “still don’t mind needles I see” Dr. Hamilton commented as she swiftly marked each vial

“Nope” CJ replied with shake of her head

“Not even when you were young,” Astra commented fondly “you never cried when you had to get your shots”

“Why would she? You did that for her” Alex teased

“Can you blame me?” Astra asked

“No,” Alex smiled at CJ, absently running her fingers through her daughter’s short curls “I have never been prouder of you,” she said softly “that being said, if you _ever_ do something that stupid and reckless again, I’ll throw you into space myself. Got it?”

“Got it” CJ replied a mock salute, a knock on the door caused everyone to look up as J’onn and Lucy walked in

“Nice to see everyone’s still in one piece,” J’onn commented, he glanced at CJ and Alura “that was a very brave thing you two did” he remarked with a respectful nod

“It was a very _stupid_ thing they did” Alex muttered

“Agreed,” Astra snarled “and it wouldn’t have happened if Non was better secured. How did he manage to escape?”

“We just figured that out, actually,” Lucy spoke up “apparently, there was hairline crack in the locking mechanism in his cuffs, it got wider every time we put it on him until it just…broke”

“How’d a crack, hairline or otherwise, get there in the first place?” Alex asked

“We think it was a manufacturing defect,” J’onn explained “we found the same exact crack in the same exact place in all our other sets of kryptonite cuffs”

“Great” Alex muttered with a tired sigh

“Wait.” Astra piped up “if the cuffs couldn’t lock properly, then why couldn’t I get out of them?”

“The crack caused part of the lock to slip out of alignment,” J’onn explained “once Non relocked them around your wrists, they stayed locked because the two halves had jammed, until Lucy managed to shift the lock back into its original position”

“And we think Non knew that,” Lucy added “that’s why he upped the dosage on the cuffs to the highest level when he locked them on Astra, because he couldn’t be sure if they’d hold her”

“What happened to Non, anyway?” CJ asked suddenly

“He’s still in surgery,” Dr. Hamilton explained “the bullet ricocheted off his spine as it went in, completely tore up his heart and lungs before it lodged itself in his ribcage”

“Will he make it?” Astra wondered, Dr. Hamilton shrugged

“I don’t really know, probably not, considering all the damage to his internal organs”

“Good” Alex snarled darkly

“Alex…” Astra sighed

“Don’t,” Alex snapped “he tried to kill our daughter, Astra, _our daughter_ , don’t tell me that you wouldn’t have done the same if our positions were reversed”

“I would have,” Astra agreed “but I wouldn’t take any pleasure from it,” she turned to glower at her wife “and neither do you” she added, Alex sighed

“No,” she said dejectedly “I don’t”

“Alex, Astra,” J’onn said softly “why don’t you take CJ home and get some rest?” he suggested, he nodded to Kara who was busy on her phone reassuring a no doubt-frantic James that their daughter was all right “you too” he ordered, Kara nodded distractedly.

“Hey,” Alex gently nudged CJ and Astra “c’mon, you heard the man, let’s go home”

**

Getting home was interesting. When the school had called, Alex and Astra had naturally worried, so, like Kara and James, they’d flown there, and then flown back to the DEO with CJ in tow. Now, they were repeating the process, Astra cradling Alex as she flew, while CJ flew alongside them, CJ hadn’t needed Astra to take her flying since she was twelve, when she first discovered her ability to fly, accidently breaking her bed when she woke up one morning floating six feet above it before gravity reasserted its hold on her

“You’re getting better at this” Astra called out

“Really?” CJ asked, thankful for her super-hearing which meant that she and Astra didn’t have to yell in order to be heard over the wind

“Really,” Astra confirmed “your flight technique is much better than last time,” she added “maybe you should do it more often” she suggested

“I don’t think that’s a good idea!” Alex called out, unlike her wife and daughter she did have to yell a bit “the last thing this family needs is another person flying around; it’s already bad enough that the ‘mysterious Dark Angel’ here helps out Kara every now and then!” she nodded to her wife, who merely scoffed

“It’s not like I’m suggesting that she suddenly put on a red cape and an ‘S’,” she said “even I don’t do that, I’m merely suggesting that she practice her flight technique, we saw today how her practicing her phasing possibly saved her life”

“Yeah, don’t remind me” Alex shot back as they landed on the fire escape outside the apartment

“Alex…,” Astra sighed as Alex unlocked the window, she’d long since gotten an outside lock installed on the window so that Kara (and later, Astra) could come in without breaking the window “Alex,” Astra repeated as all three of them climbed inside, Alex immediately making a beeline for the kitchen, completely ignoring Astra “Alex, stop!” Astra barked, Alex stopped and slowly turned to face her wife

“If you think that I’m going to let my daughter go out there and endanger her—” Astra held up a hand, stopping her mid-sentence

“No one’s saying that, love,” she said gently “all I’m saying is that, maybe, CJ needs more practice with her powers”

“She’s had practice in how to use them” Alex dismissed

“Yes, and then she was told to never use them,” Astra countered “I’m talking about learning how to actually _use_ her powers, not to go out and be a superhero, but just to gain better control over abilities, we saw what happened at that party. In trying to swat away a pest she instead threw him into a buffet table”

“That’s exactly why she _shouldn’t_ be using them!” Alex exclaimed “so that she doesn’t hurt someone or attract attention!”

“Can I say something here?” CJ suddenly asked “they’re _my_ powers, after all” she pointed out. Both women turned to face her, both embarrassed that they’d actually forgotten she was there

“Go ahead, honey” Astra encouraged, CJ took a breath

“Mom,” she began “I think Mother’s right, I do need to learn better control, which means I need to know what I can do”

“CJ…” Alex began, CJ held up a hand

“Mom, please, I want to do this, I need to,” she bit her lip suddenly, looking nervous “that reminds me…,” she dug into her backpack and then pulled out a crumpled piece of paper “here” she held out the paper ball to her mothers. Alex took it and unfolded it, blinking at what she saw

“Soccer tryouts?” she asked as Astra leaned over her shoulder to see. CJ nodded, looking down at her shoes

“CJ…,” Astra began "I don’t…”

“No,” CJ shook her head dejectedly “that’s…yeah, that’s…fine, I just…you know, thought I’d ask,” she quickly took the paper back and crumpled it up and threw it away “if…if you guys need me, I’ll be in my room” she turned and swiftly walked away, not even bothering to open the door to her room, instead simply phasing through the wall

“Oh my god,” Alex whispered, horrified, “oh my god,” she repeated as she sank down onto the couch and buried her face into her hands “what did we just _do_?” she looked up at Astra, who was still standing there, blinking

“We,” she began, she swallowed “we just did something that I’d swore I’d never do to one of my children”

“What?” Alex asked, Astra turned to face her, a slightly haunted look in her eyes

“Never make them feel like I’m ashamed of them,” she whispered “tell her how proud we are, encourage her to follow her path in life, wherever it may take her, do the exact opposite of what my parents did to me” Alex stood up and reached for her wife

“I guess, I never thought how personal this was for you” she said softly, taking Astra’s hands in her own

“My parents, they were more ashamed of me then proud,” Astra began “oh, they loved me, I don’t doubt that, but they were…ashamed by being the parents to twins, the shame and scorn from others for producing the…oddity of identical twins, I think scared them, they began to fear what could happen to us, so they denied us things, they denied us friends, they denied us extracurricular activities, they did everything to ensure that we didn’t draw attention to ourselves, when we left school we were to go straight home, no detours, no stopping at the marketplace, when our classmates wanted to have a party, we could not go,” she explained, she chuckled bitterly “and we’ve done the same to CJ,” she said “we also deny her extracurricular activities, we tell her to come straight home after school, we tell her she can’t have friends over because she might slip up and use her powers or say something without realizing it” she took a breath

“But, we…” Alex tried, Astra shook her head

“When you’re a child,” she began “you don’t see that your parents are trying to protect you when they do things like that, all you see is that they’re ashamed of you” she explained. Alex felt her stomach twist, she had heard most this before, when they had decided to try for kids, Astra had told her what her own mothers had done, making Alex swear that they would never do that to their own children

Except that was exactly what they had ended up doing

In trying to protect CJ, they had only succeeded in making her feel like an outcast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to incorporate my other fic Not Fair into this universe, so basically Not Fair is a prequel to Family Matters, just thought I'd let everybody know


	9. The Kids Are All Right, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James and Kara recover from Non's attack, Alex and CJ have a talk, and Winn gets mad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOUBLE UPDATE!!!

******

“Oh, geez! Dad! Not you too!” Alura groaned as James wrapped her in an even tighter bear hug than the one Kara had used “c’mon! Will you quit it?! I’m fine! God!” she managed to extract herself from James’ grip (no mean feat considering she was actually quite small compared to him)

“Your Dad’s just worried” Kara grinned

“Yeah, well, I’m fine,” Alura retorted “I mean, come on, I even hit Non with a blast of heat vision”

“You **_WHAT?!_** ” both Kara and James demanded

“Hey, don’t get mad at me, OK? CJ was the one who actually took Non on”

“She what?” James asked, Kara nodded

“Yeah, apparently, CJ actually fought Non on her own,” she explained “even with J’onn’s help she still managed to get the upper hand by herself”

“Really?” James asked, Kara shrugged

“That’s what Lucy told me anyway” she said

“Wow,” James remarked “I wonder how Alex and Astra feel about that”

“Well, Aunt Alex threatened to throw the shrimp into space if she did it again,” Alura explained “so…” James nodded

“We should check up on them,” he suggested “see if they’re all right” Kara nodded

“I was just about to say that” she said, her cell phone suddenly rang “it’s Winn,” she read as she answered “hey, Winn”

 _“I’m going to kill you!”_ Winn suddenly snarled out on the other end

“Whoa, whoa! Winn! What’s wrong?” Kara blinked, she’d never heard Winn this mad…actually, she’d never heard Winn be mad period, scared sure, upset OK, but mad, furious? Never

 _“What’s wrong?”_ Winn demanded _“what’s wrong is that no one told me what happened today! I only found out because CJ just texted me and told me that everyone was fine and that Non was back in a cell, I didn’t even know he was out of one to begin with!”_

“I thought Lucy told you!” Kara cried

 _“No! She didn’t!”_ Winn snarled

“OK, look just calm down” Kara tried

 _“’Calm’?”_ Winn repeated, sounding a little hysterical _“I’m perfectly calm,"_ he said _"‘calm’ is my middle name!”_ James suddenly took the phone from Kara

“WINN! Calm down!” he took a breath “look, we’re going to go check up on Alex and Astra, why don’t you and Lucy met us there?” he offered

 _“Fine!”_ James winced at the bang of the receiver being slammed back into its cradle

“Wow, he is pissed” he muttered

“I never knew he could get that mad,” Kara exclaimed “I mean its Winn!” James nodded

“Well, he’s worried, I mean he cares for all of us, and he loves being an uncle”

“Not to mention that he’s head-over-heels for Lucy” Kara added, James chuckled

“That too,” he glanced back at Alura, who had been sitting on the couch texting apparently “hey! No phone, you’re grounded, remember?” he barked, Alura shrugged

“Whatever” she muttered, James’ face darkened

“OK, James, James! Don’t do anything you’ll regret” Kara pleaded as James slowly marched over to Alura, his expression downright murderous…

******

Meanwhile across town, far away from a potential murder scene, Alex gently knocked on CJ’s bedroom door

“CJ? Honey? It’s Mom,” she called out “can I come in?” trying the door, she found it was unlocked, and—taking a steadying breath—she gently pushed it open. The sight on the other side broke her heart, CJ had changed out of the clothes she’d been wearing, washed off her makeup, and changed into a comfy pair of sweat pants and a old t-shirt, and now sat on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, a threadbare stuffed penguin toy clutched in her arms as she stared off into space. Alex had to smile despite herself at the sight of the toy.

‘Ms. Penguin’, as the toy would eventually become known, had originally been a gift to Alex from Astra after they had visited the National City Zoo on their first date, Astra had bought the toy at the gift shop and had given it to Alex, looking so awkward that Alex had accepted it without question simply because Astra had gotten it for her, touched by the affectionate, if somewhat corny, gesture. For the next few years, the toy had sat on a shelf in the living room, unnamed and gathering dust. When CJ had been born, it had been Alex who had quietly given the toy to the baby girl on her first night home, when Astra protested, saying that she had gotten the toy for Alex, Alex had simply told her wife that she didn’t need to be showered with gifts to be reminded that Astra loved her.

Since then, the plushy penguin had become CJ’s closest companion (even closer to her than her own cousin at times), she had taken the toy everywhere with her, refusing to let it out of her sight. Once, when she had been about five or so, CJ had had a sleepover at Grandma Eliza’s. Sometime in the night, she had woken up Eliza crying when she realized that she’d left her favorite toy back at home. Unable to console her, Eliza had been forced to call Astra at two in the morning and ask her to fly all the way to Midvale just to drop off the toy, Astra, had of course, done so without question, dropping off the toy as well as a very nice (and expensive) box of chocolates for Eliza as an apology.

Even now, despite being ‘too old’ for things like stuffed animals, CJ still kept the threadbare and well-loved Ms. Penguin by her bedside, often cuddling with it when she was upset

Like right now

Sighing, Alex gingerly sat down the edge of the bed “how much does this mean to you?” she asked softly, CJ looked up

“A lot” she answered, Alex nodded

“OK” she said, CJ blinked

“OK?” she repeated

“OK, you can try out for the team” Alex explained, CJ’s face lit up “ _but_ ,” Alex emphasized “I want you to promise me that you’ll be careful, that you’re going to watch your strength and speed, and you won’t try to phase through another player to reach the goal”

“Of course not” CJ said, as if it was obvious

“I mean it, Connor,” Alex said “things can get very competitive out there, trust me I know, I played soccer in middle school, that pressure to win can be very hard to resist, not to mention how wild things can get on the field, you could get so focused on scoring that next point that you forgot what not to do and you could end up seriously hurting someone, simply by running into them to fast. Remember the party? You just meant to push that guy away and instead you threw him across the room” CJ groaned

“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

“Not while I’m still alive, you’re not,” Alex took a breath “are we clear on the rules here?” she asked, CJ nodded “OK then, when your suspension’s over you can tryout for the team,” she leaned over and gave CJ a kiss on the head “by the way, just cause you’re not going to school doesn’t mean that you’re just going to sit around reading all day, I want you to use this time to practice on how to control your powers, got it?” CJ nodded, Alex smiled “OK,” she pulled CJ into a hug “I love you, you know”

“I know, Mom!” CJ laughed

“Do you?” Alex asked “because, sometimes, I’m afraid that—”

“Mom,” CJ interrupted gently “you’re not Mother’s parents, OK? This isn’t Krypton and I’m not an identical twin” at Alex’s confused expression, CJ chuckled “you guys still think that if I’m in the next room I can’t hear you, I have superhearing, remember?” Alex chuckled

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” she muttered, she lightly tugged on CJ’s arm “c’mon, your Mother’s getting dinner ready”

“OK” CJ quietly put Ms. Penguin down on the bedside table and got up “what?” she asked as Alex stared at her

“Nothing,” Ales said with a shake of her head “it’s just…you’re getting so tall lately”

“Hope so,” CJ replied, pulling herself up to her full height “because I want Alura to stop calling me ‘shrimp’, she’s been doing it ever since we were ten and I didn’t like it then”

“Oh, she’ll never stop doing that” Alex said as they walked out of the room

“Why not?” CJ demanded

“Because, she’s your family and thus has the right to tease you mercilessly,” Astra answered from her place at the kitchen counter, she chuckled at her daughter’s disgruntled expression “James and Kara and Lucy and Winn are coming over” she announced to Alex

“OK, I get some more plates. Is Alura coming too?”

“I should hope so,” Astra replied, busying herself with chopping up herbs and tossing them into a pot of boiling water “I doubt that Kara and James would want a repeat performance of The Incident” she added, both CJ and Alex groaned in disgust

“Oh, Mother!” CJ groaned “c’mon, we’re going to _eat_!” she exclaimed disgustedly, she perked up “speaking of which, what are we having?” she asked

“Beef pho” Astra answered, since learning how to cook (or rather, learning how to cook human food) Astra had developed a flair for Asian cuisine, soups in particular, and now could happily spend hours in the kitchen whipping big steaming bowls of soup, CJ grinned and happily picked up a knife and started chopping the beef into cubes without needing to asked or even offering to help, she just started chopping. She frowned and looked up suddenly, squinting at the door through her glasses (black rimmed like Kara’s)

“Aunt Kara and Uncle James are here” she announced

“Hmm, very good,” Astra praised as Alex let them in “you noticed them a full half minute before I did,” she turned and waved at Kara and James “hello, you two” she greeted

“Hey,” James called back, he grinned “smells good, beef soup?”

“Yep,” Alex answered as she and Kara plopped down on the couch together “oh, someone keep an eye out for a delivery guy, I ordered potstickers”

“Ah, yes,” Astra commented dryly “we wouldn’t want the two aliens or even the two alien-human hybrids to go hungry now would we?”

“Oh, like you’re actually complaining,” Alex retorted “I’ve seen you on game night, you usually end up in a four-way fight with Kara, CJ, and Alura for the last potsticker”

“Hey, that reminds me,” James said suddenly “you guys still haven’t paid us back for that vase that CJ and Alura broke the last time we played charades”

“You mean when they got into a shoving match over whether or not Twilight was better as a book or as a movie?” Alex asked sarcastically, she scowled at CJ and Alura, both of whom were sitting on the couch, seemingly determined to ignore each other’s existence for the time being, at least until dinner was ready “what is it with you two and fighting lately?” Alex wondered “you used to be so close”

“Hey, at least your daughter still listens to you” James pointed out, he looked up at as a beep sounded from Alura’s pocket “what did I say about your phone?” he demanded

“I got it” CJ reached out, easily phasing her hand through Alura’s jacket and pulled out the phone

“Hey!” Alura exclaimed “give that back!”

“Make me” CJ dared, she grinned and then actually _licked_ the phone before holding it out her cousin “here you go!”

“OH! YOU LITTLE BITCH!!” Alura bolted off the couch, ready for a fight, CJ quickly following

“Hey, hey, hey!” Alex stood up and placed herself between the two “there’s been enough fighting today. OK? Now both of you sit down, or so help me!” with a grumble, Alura sank down on the couch, CJ mumbled a quiet apology and sat down “now,” Alex sighed “CJ, apologize to Alura” she ordered

“Sorry, cuz” CJ muttered, clearly not sorry in the least, Alura just scowled as she wiped at her phone with the hem of her t-shirt

“God,” Alex groaned quietly “it’s like they’re still toddlers sometimes”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CJ's toy 'Ms. Penguin' was inspired by the Happier Feet Than Yours series by writerstealth, to anyone who hasn't read it I wholeheartedly encourage you to, I also encourage the author to write some more penguin fluff damn it :-)


	10. Family Dinner and Someone Else's Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy and Winn arrive, everybody eats, and then Alex and Lucy have another talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey an update to Family Matters, don't worry I'm still working on Strange Visitor and Part Five of What we are. On, by the way, anybody who wants to ship Lucy and Winn (besides me) I totally encourage them to, Winn needs a girl who won't turn into a literal screaming monster, and as much as I like the amount of estrogen on the show, some more het pairings wouldn't hurt, and besides, I think Lucy would be a good match for Winn

******

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to worry you!”

“Oh, so letting me find out from CJ in a _text_ was better?!”

“Oh, for god’s sake! You make it sound like I wasn’t ever going to tell you!”

“Maybe you weren’t”

“How can you say that?!”

“Wow, I’ve never heard them argue like this,” Kara said as she stared at the door, the sound of Lucy and Winn arguing coming through loud and clear “actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard them argue” Kara added

“Yeah,” James agreed “they’re normally so…”

“…happy” his wife finished

“Do you think we should let them in now?” Alex wondered “or let them finish first?” to her right Astra sighed and got up, wrenching the door open, stopping both Lucy and Winn mid-sentence

“ _If_ you’re quite _finished_?” she demanded as they turned to stare her “otherwise, would you care to move to the building across the street? I don’t believe they’ve had the privilege of hearing you yet!” with two quiet mumbles of apology Lucy and Winn both slipped past Astra and inside “sit down and behave yourselves,” she ordered “this is supposed to be time for all of us to get together and gather strength from each other after today’s ordeal, _not_ for us to focus on petty squabbles”

“Sorry,” Winn said “I’m just—”

“…mad you weren’t informed, yes, yes, so we heard,” Astra interrupted “go and sit down; dinner will be ready in a few minutes” she instructed and if anyone noticed that she was treating them both like children no one said anything as they both sat down, Winn even actually pouted a little bit. As Astra went back to adding even _more_ ingredients to the pot of soup, Lucy looked around the table to see everyone trying to _not_ look at her and Winn and failing miserably

“I take it everyone else heard us?” she asked

“What? No”

“Hear what?”

“I didn’t hear anything”

“Me neither. Did you?”

“Nope, not me”

“OK, OK,” Winn said “we get it, nobody heard anything”

“Are you guys breaking up?” CJ asked suddenly “because that would be just, you know…”

“…awful” Kara finished

“No we’re not” both Lucy and Winn said at the same time

“Jinx!” Lucy suddenly cried “ha! You owe me a beer”

“Yeah, yeah,” Winn grumbled, he winked at CJ “see? We’re fine”

“Yeah,” Lucy agreed fondly, she took his hand “we are”

“All right, here we are” Astra suddenly came over, holding the entire pot and placing it in the center of the table on a metal grill

“Hey, cool, family style” Winn grinned

“Always,” Astra confirmed, she waved her hands encouragingly at the others “well, go on, eat, before it gets cold,” everyone quickly grabbed a bowl and each ladled a huge amount of soup into their bowls, Astra, Kara, CJ, and Alura each grabbing a helping big enough for two humans. Astra looked up at a knock at the door “ah, Alex your delivery woman is here” she announced

“Hmm,” Alex mumbled, mid-slurp, she wiped her mouth and got up and grabbed her wallet, opening the door “hi, Casey” she greeted

“Hi, Ms. Danvers,” the girl—who looked to be about nineteen—greeted, since Alex and Astra ordered takeout almost every other day, they actually gotten to know the delivery girl personally. Casey waved to the others, then held out a large plastic bag, clearly bursting with Chinese takeout “here you go, that’ll be forty-four dollars and eighty cents”

“Ay,” Alex groaned, forking over a fifty “here, keep the change”

“Really?” Casey asked

“Yeah, sure” Alex encouraged

“Thanks!” Casey quickly tucked the fifty away in her pocket

“Drive safe” Alex called out as the door closed

“Wow, that’s a lot of food” Lucy commented as Alex dropped the bag onto the table

“Yeah,” Alex sighed “the sad thing is, it really isn’t,” she muttered as she dug through the bag, pulling a seemingly-endless supply of little white boxes “OK, I just got a bunch of stuff at random, so we’ll all just share” she announced

“Like usual” Winn said, Alex nodded as she opened one box and peered inside

“Who wants the braised pork?” she called out

“Right here!” CJ held up a hand

“OK,” Alex opened up another box “going once, egg fried rice?”

“I’ll take that” Lucy held out her hand

“You eat _nothing_ ” Winn playfully admonished as he reached for the combination Kung Pao

"Yeah, well, not all us wants to eat like a bachelor" Lucy retorted

“Dry-fried ribs?” Alex called out

“Here,” Astra held up a hand, happily taking the box from her wife almost-greedily “oh, is there sauce?” she grinned as Alex tossed her the little cup “thank you, love”

“Potsti—” Kara’s hand shot up

“Right here, sis!”

“OK,” Alex laughed “and there’s steamed rice if anybody wants it”

“Hey, who gets the chow mien?” Winn asked, pointing to the jumbo-sized box still sitting unopened, one lone noddle dangling out of a corner

“That?” Alex asked “that one’s mine”

******

“Hey, there you are,” Alex grinned as she leaned out the window overlooking the fire escape “I was wondering where you disappeared to” Lucy chuckled

“Just needed some air” she said

“So,” Alex began, climbing out onto the fire escape proper “Kara and James are just going to crash here for the night,” she explained “you and Winn can too if you want” she offered

“No, I think we’ll just head home” Lucy said

“You sure? Cause we’ve got room, those two recliners go all the way back”

“Ew, why do I get the feeling that you and Astra tested that claim?” Lucy wondered, grimacing, Alex just smirked

“So, I take it from the argument back there that you haven’t talked to Winn yet?” she asked, Lucy shook her head “you can’t just let it go, Luce”

“I know,” Lucy sighed “I’ll talk to him tomorrow”

“No you won’t” Alex said firmly

“Why not?” Lucy wondered, in answer Alex turned towards the window

“Hey, Winn?” she called out “Lucy needs to talk to you, it’s important!”

“Alex! No!” Lucy hissed, frantically waving her hands as Winn called out that he’d be right there

“You can’t hold it off forever” Alex advised

“But…what if he says no?” Lucy wondered, Alex shook her head

“He won’t,” she said “if you really thought that, you wouldn’t want to have a kid with him” she pointed out

“Hey,” Winn greeted, leaning out the widow “everything OK?”

“Oh, yeah,” Alex assured him pleasantly “Lucy just needs to talk to you” as she climbed back in, she fixed Lucy with a firm stare, and then she was gone, leaving Lucy alone on the fire escape and Winn leaning out the window

“So,” Winn grunted as he awkwardly climbed out the window “what’d you want to—whoa!” he suddenly got his foot caught on the window sill and tumbled flat on his back into Lucy’s lap

“Are you OK?” she laughed

“Yeah, I’m fine. My pride…not so much” he grinned up at her

“You maybe want to get up now?” she suggested, he shrugged

“I don’t know, I kinda like it here,” he reached up and tucked a lock of hair away from her face “got a great view” he added softly, and Lucy suddenly no longer had any second thoughts

“Winn?” she asked softly

“Yeah, Luce?”

“I want to have a baby” she whispered. There, she’d said it, no going back now, all she needed now was Winn’s answer. For a long moment, Winn didn’t speak, didn’t even move, finally he blinked up at her, eyes wide

“You…want to have…a baby?” he repeated slowly, Lucy nodded “with me?” he asked, Lucy grinned

“Yes” she answered, Winn slowly sat up, still staring at her with wide eyes

“Seriously, you want to have a baby with… _me_?” he asked

“Well, you see anyone else around here?” Lucy teased, Winn shook his head “so?” she asked

“So?” Winn repeated, confused

“It takes two people to make a baby, Winn” she remind him

“Oh, right”

“So…?”

“OK”

“OK?” Lucy blinked, surprised by the quickness of his answer

“OK, let’s have a baby” Winn grinned

“Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Winn confirmed, with a laugh Lucy pulled him into a bear hug “oh, wait,” Winn suddenly pulled away “we’ve got tell the others…unless you want to keep this a secret?” Lucy shook her head

“No”

“OK, let’s tell everybody” after a bit of wriggling they both climbed back inside with no physical injuries but some slightly bruised prides

“Hey, where’d you guys go?” Kara asked as she and James fiddled with Alex and Astra’s pullout couch. Looking around, Lucy could see Alura and CJ off in a corner, actually talking for once, and Alex and Astra were in the kitchen washing dishes. Finally she cleared her throat

“Uh, everyone, could I have you attention please?” the others all stopped whatever they were doing and turned to look at her and Winn, she took a breath “uh, we, have an announcement to make”

“Oh, god, you guys really are breaking up, aren’t you?” CJ asked, Lucy chuckled and shook her head

“No, we’re not, squirt,” she assured the teen “we, uh, well, I guess I’ll just come out and say it, we...Winn and I, are going to have a baby”

“You’re PREGNANT?!” Kara yelped, eyes wide

“No, not yet,” Lucy said “but we’re going to try” she explained, almost instantly the others crowded around them, offering congratulations and hugs, and as they did so, Lucy knew that when she and Winn got pregnant, their child would have one loving family

******

“OK, I guess I just follow the instructions on the box,” Lucy peered at the back of the ovulation kit as she settled down next to Winn on the bed “huh, looks like it works just like a pregnancy test, you just pee on the stick and wait”

“You know we don’t have to do this now” Winn pointed out

“Don’t tell me you got cold feet?” Winn shook his head

“Nah, I’m just saying” Lucy nodded

“I know, but the drugstore’s on the way home anyway, so, might as well,” she tore open the box and pulled out the little plastic stick “OK, here goes” she got up off the bed and went into the bathroom, as she did that Winn gathered up the box and receipt and went to recycle them (the result of being friends with Astra), when he noticed something

“Hey, Luce?” he called out

“Yeah?” Lucy’s voice came back through the door

“I think you bought the wrong thing,” Winn said “this is a pregnancy test, not an ovulation test”

“Are you sure?”

“It says right here ‘pregnancy test’” he read, Lucy sighed

“Great, I’ve got babies on the brain so bad that I jumped the gun, well, I guess we’ll just throw this out and do it the old fashi—” the next sound that followed could only be described as a squeak

“Lucy? You OK?” Winn called out, concerned

“Uh….could you come in here, please?” now really concerned, Winn marched over to the door and pushed it open, finding Lucy sitting on the closed toilet, knees draw up to her chest, eyes wide

“What is it?” he asked

“Look,” frowning, Winn followed Lucy’s gaze to the plastic stick, his eyes widening at the sight of the bright pink plus sign “I guess,” Lucy began as Winn turned to stare at her “we don’t have to try after all”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger time!!! I know, I'm mean :-)


	11. The Kids Are All Right, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CJ and Alura have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! The long-awaited (at least I _hope_ its the long-awaited) update to Family Matters, I want to thank all the people who have recently commented on this one, your praise keeps me going. And now off we go!!

******

“CJ? You awake?” Alura whispered into the darkness

“No,” CJ grumbled “what is it?” she asked

“Why have we been fighting so much lately?” Alura asked

“I dunno, we’re cousins, cousins fight”

“Yeah, but not like this,” Alura pointed out “it seems every time we see each other lately we’re fighting or we end up getting into a fight of some kind over something stupid” there was a moment of silence, then a sigh, then a groan of

“Oh, god, you expect me to be awake for this conversation, don’t you?” there was a rustling, then the bedside lamp turned on, making both girls wince “OK, Ally, what’s up?” CJ rubbed at her eyes. Alura shifted on the air mattress on the floor next to the bed, struggling to get up “you got it?” CJ asked, content to just watch her cousin struggle for the moment

“It’s fine” Alura grumbled

“ _Sure_ it is” came the sarcastic response

“How can you be snarky this late?” Alura demanded as she finally managed to sit up, avoiding looking a beached whale by a very slim margin

“You woke me up, that’s how”

“We’re doing it again”

“You started it” 

“Go to sleep or at least talk quietly!” Alex’s voice suddenly demanded through the wall

“Sorry, Mom!” CJ called out, the teens looked at each other and suddenly burst into a fit of giggles

“OK, look,” Alura finally began, her voice barely above a whisper as she climbed up onto the bed to lay down next to CJ “Aunt Alex is right, we used to be close, really close, closer than you and that stuffed penguin of yours”

“Ms. Penguin takes offense at that, Ally” CJ chuckled, that was another thing the girls shared, although Alura insisted on being called ‘Ally’ CJ was the only person in the entire family who actually called her that, everyone else, even Lucy and Winn, called her ‘Alura’ (although there had been that one boy in elementary school who had called her ‘Al’, but he stopped after she gave him a black eye)

“You know what I mean” Alura grumbled

“Sadly, yes,” CJ sighed “so, what do you want to do about it?” she asked, in answer Alura sighed and suddenly wrapped her arms around CJ, pulling her close "oh" CJ murmered as she snuggled closer, Alura suddenly frowned and lifted her head from where it had been resting on CJ's shoulder and then poked at CJ’s chest, calmly palming each breast

“Are you… _topless_?” she finally asked

“Topless _and_ bottomless,” CJ answered with a grin, she threw back the covers to reveal her nude body “ta-da!”

“OH!” Alura recoiled, scurrying away to the foot of the bed “CJ! You little perv!”

“There is nothing wrong with the human body, naked or otherwise,” CJ retorted in a wise voice

"Yes, thank you, Swami!" Alura spat, turning her head and squeezing her eyes shut

“And besides," CJ added as if Alura hadn't said anything "we grew up together, I distinctly remember that we used to take baths together”

“Sure, when we were _two_!” Alura spat, she finally opened her eyes and dared to look “huh,” she said at last “you don’t….shave” she noted

“I _can’t_ shave,” CJ reminded her “besides, I like the natural look," she added "if women weren't meant to have hair down there, under their arms, or on their legs, we wouldn't,” she explained, she frowned “speaking of hair, how _do_ you keep yours that short?” she wondered, Alura snorted as she reflexively ran a hand through her short hair

“Mom uses her heat vision, how else? I can’t exactly walk into Supercuts, now can I?” she sighed and laid back down next to CJ, ignoring her nudity “can we stop fighting, please?” she asked, CJ chuckled and pulled her cousin close

“Yeah,” she said softly “I don’t want to fight either”

******

On the other side of the wall, Alex and Astra silently grinned at each other, happy that the girls were finally talking again


	12. Family Matters and Macho Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winn worries about Lucy, CJ and Alura spar, and Lucy breaks in a bunch of new DEO recruits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here's an update to Family Matters that I hope that you've all been waiting for, up next...more General Danvers and Karolsen family fluff, hey anybody who can up with a ship name for Lucy and Winn gets a cookie :=)

******

“Kara! Wait up!” Kara turned and suppressed a sigh

“Lucy’s not answering your texts until you promise to stop texting her every fifteen minutes” she said before Winn even had a chance to open his mouth as he caught up with her

“But—”

“Winn! It’s only been _two days!_ ” she stopped and firmly gripped him by the shoulders “nothing’s going to happen to her, or the baby, in two days” Winn looked a little sheepish

“Right, yeah,” he muttered, he held up his phone “I’ll just go…” he waved towards the main part of the room and then quickly hurried off

“Everything OK?” James’ voice asked

“Yeah,” Kara sighed “Winn’s just being overprotective,” she sighed “why is it always the _men_ who go into overprotective daddy mode?” she wondered "I mean they're not the one who's actually carrying the baby"

“I wasn’t overprotective” James said, Kara snorted

“Please, you were more paranoid than Astra was with Alex!”

“No, I wasn’t,” James dismissed, Kara crossed her arms and glowered “OK, maybe I was a little…overprotective,” Kara’s glower deepened “OK, a lot” he admitted, she smiled and reached up and patted his cheek affectionately

******

Alura grunted as she hit the floor, _hard_ , actually cracking the reinforced concrete floor with the impact. Groaning, she sat up and scowled

“This is payback for forcing you to go to that party and then bailing when the cops came, isn’t?” she asked, floating about six feet above her in the lotus position CJ shook her head

“Mm-nm, we are never mentioning that again, ever,” she said, she waved her hand encouragingly “c’mon, up, up, and away!”

“I can’t ‘up, up, and away’,” Alura grumbled “I can’t fly, remember?” CJ rolled her eyes

“You can leap tall buildings in a single bound” she reminded her cousin, and that was true, while Alura could not, and would never be able to, fly, she could leap very high and very far, the farthest she could jump had been measured by the DEO at about one-eighth of a mile, an impressive feat for someone only five feet tall

“All right you want ‘up, up, and away’, I’ll give you ‘up, up, and away’!” Alura surged to her feet, leaping at least ten feet into the air, CJ calmly dodged and Alura collided headfirst with the ceiling

“Ooh! Are you OK?” CJ asked, clearly trying not to laugh as she watched her cousin fell back to earth in a crumpled heap, looking nothing like how people would imagine the daughter of Supergirl would look

“I’m just ‘super’,” Alura spat as she laid there while CJ quickly landed and helped her cousin up “you know what, time out,” she brushed CJ’s hands away “why are we doing this?” she asked

“That a rhetorical question or do you actually want me to answer?”

“I mean, I know why you’re doing it, you want to join the soccer team,” Alura continued as if CJ hadn’t said a word “but why am I stuck doing this?” she wondered

“Maybe because your parents want you to stop getting into fights?” CJ offered, Alura scowled as she stood up

“Ha-ha,” she said dryly, she shifted into a fighting stance “OK, one last time”

“So you say” CJ chuckled as she shifted into a fighting stance of her own

******

“I hope that isn’t your entire lunch” Alex blinked and looked down at the apple in her hand and then looked over as her wife joined her on the balcony overlooking the main control room

“Hey, at least I’m eating healthy” she retorted, Astra snorted

“Debatable,” she muttered, she leaned over the railing “what has your attention captured so strongly?” she wondered “ah,” she said as she saw what Alex was looking at, she frowned “when that child of hers in finally born, I sincerely hope she won’t treat it like she’s treating those recruits” Alex chuckled

“Ah, come on, you know Lucy, deep down she’s a big softy”

“True,” Astra agreed, she frowned, tilting her head “oh no” she groaned

******

Meanwhile down on the floor, Lucy was putting the fear of god into the DEO’s newest class of recruits. Since the DEO’s existence had been declassified following the final battle against the Fort Rozz escapees there had been no shortage of new applicants. Sadly most of those people washed out within the first day or so, largely because they were either overconfident, unprepared for the sheer _weirdness_ of working at the DEO, or seemed to think that they were signing up just to kill aliens, a notion that had ended following the passing of the Alien Amnesty Act into law about sixteen years ago

“All right, not bad,” Lucy praised “for the moment anyway,” she added “because remember,” she emphasized “you are here to stop alien attacks, you are _not_ here to kill every alien you come across, many of these beings that come to Earth are lost and scared, some are refuges, not all aliens are bad,” she fixed the dozen or so recruits with a hard stare “that being said, do not trust everything you see, sometimes something that looks harmless isn’t, and something that looks dangerous isn’t. In short, here at the DEO, you have to expect the unexpected,” as if on cue, the wall to Lucy’s right suddenly exploded into a cloud of dust, two figures came flying out, both sliding across the floor to a stop at Lucy’s feet.

She blinked down at the two newcomers “are you guys all right?” she asked

“Just my pride” CJ panted

“And my back,” Alura groaned, she pushed at CJ’s chest “oh! Get off me!” both girls awkwardly staggered to their feet, looking embarrassed, while Lucy turned back to her class of recruits, all of whom had run like rabbits the second the wall blew

“Recruits! Front and center!” she bellowed out in a voice that would have made her semi-retired father proud, the dozen or so recruits—those who hadn’t fainted anyway—shakily staggered and stumbled forward and managed to assemble into a shakily rank and file “expect the unexpected!” she repeated “expect that nothing will go according to plan!” she took a breath “now, this was not planned, this was not a drill, but it is a perfect example of that motto,” she nodded to the teens “stand up straight,” she grumbled, both girls snapped into perfect attention poses “I want to introduce you folks to these people, both of these girls are the daughters of two of our operatives. This,” she gestured to CJ “is Connor Danvers, her parents are Agents Alex Danvers and Astra In-Ze, don’t let the cute face fool you, she’s half Kryptonian, as you all just saw she could easily snap any one of you in half like a twig if she wanted to. Now this individual,” she nodded to Alura “is Alura Olsen, she doesn’t need any further introduction aside from my telling you that she is Supergirl’s daughter,” a mummer went through the group of recruits, half amazed, half terrified “now, I think it goes without saying that either of these girls could break one of you in half,” she fixed the crowd with a glare “any questions?”

One idiot stepped forward, hand raised “yes, Morison?” Lucy asked

“With all due respect, Director Lane, but, they don’t look that tough” he said, Lucy sighed, there was always one, one idiot—usually a macho-minded man—who thought he could take on the DEO’s resident aliens, or in this case, their daughters, an idea which J’onn had allowed Kara and Astra to ‘correct’ more than a dozen times over, but that had been in the kryptonite training room, not in the middle of the control room. Lucy glanced up at Alex and Astra, who both scowled at the top of Morison’s head (Astra looked about ready to fry his brains with heat vision) and then nodded at her, she nodded back

“You think so, Morison?” she asked, he nodded “all right,” she turned back to two teens “you don’t have to do anything” she told them quietly

“It’s fine” CJ assured her with one of her charming smiles

“Yeah, come on, you don’t need an asshole like that on your team” Alura added, Lucy nodded and turned back to Morison

“All right, Morison, you think you’re so tough? Congratulations, you get to take one of them on,” she nodded at CJ “I’ll let you fight Danvers’ kid, she’s nicer, so she won’t hurt you too much,” the crowd gulped almost as one being upon hearing that, while the other agents in the room gathered around to watch the spectacle, Lucy could already hear people placing bets on long it would take CJ to knock Morison flat on his ass, two seconds seemed to be the winning bet “now normally,” Lucy began, addressing the recruits “we’d be doing this in a special training room, where Ms. Danvers’ powers would suppressed and her strength reduced to human levels, but since Mr. Morison here thinks he’s so tough, we’ll just do it right here,” the crowd of recruits parted like the red sea as Morison swaggered forward while CJ stepped up, looking out of place in her yoga pant, sleeveless t-shit, and sneakers “hey,” Lucy grabbed CJ’s arm “try not to destroy anymore government property, huh?” CJ chuckled and shifted into a fighting stance. Looking at the two of them if you didn’t know that CJ had superpowers, you’d have thought that she’d be flattened, Morison towered a good foot over her in height and was at least twice as wide “whenever you’re ready” Lucy ordered, Morison lunged, swinging a punch out, CJ simply sidestepped at superspeed and watched as Morison sailed forward to land flat on his face

“You OK?” she asked, genuinely concerned, with a snarl, Morison got to his feet and lunged again, this time succeeding in grabbing CJ in a bear hug “hold on,” she told him, before she shot up into the air, landing on the balcony where Alex and Astra were standing “hi, Mom” she said as she landed, then, while Morison was trying to work his obviously small brain around this new conundrum, she dove off the balcony like a high diver, sailing straight down and phasing through the floor. 

Morison jumped down after her landing on the ground with heavy-sounding thud, CJ emerged from one of the walls, she whistled and waved cheerfully at him, Morison lunged a third time, this time passing straight through CJ, she spun on her heel, grabbing him by the back of his shirt and hoisted him up and gently flung him down the room like a bowling ball, where he slid to a stop at Lucy’s feet

“New grade,” she told him simply “F”

“ ** _DIRECTOR LANE, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!?!?_** " J’onn suddenly bellowed


	13. Family Matters, Macho Men, and Fathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> J'onn gets mad, Winn gets upset, Lucy schemes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, here's an update for Family Matters, the second in two days (yay!!)

******

“…AND FURTHERMORE, THE NEXT TIME YOU PULL A STUNT LIKE THAT, I’LL HAVE YOU FILING BUDGET REPORTS FOR THE NEX DECADE!!!” to say that J’onn was livid as he finished chewing out Lucy was the understatement of the millennium. He rounded on Alex and Astra, fixing each of them with a glare “and you two! I’m surprised at you! You’re her parents! How could you let her do something like this?!” he demanded, sounding somewhat calmer. But, unlike Lucy—who was currently regretting ever being born—Alex and Astra weren’t even phased by J’onn’s anger, for one thing Astra had seen far more terrifying things than an angry Green Martian, after all she’d literally decapitated the White Martian who impersonated Senator Crane when it had escaped from its cell a few years back.

That had been an impressive sight. It had also been very messy “I’m waiting for an explanation” J’onn snarled, snapping everyone out of their thoughts

“We thought that it would be a good learning experience for her?” Alex finally said

“A ‘good learning experience’?” J’onn echoed slowly, the disbelief clear in his voice

“I think my dear wife is slightly confused,” Astra deflected smoothly “what we mean to say is that, we felt that it might be a good opportunity to see if CJ could master her abilities and use them against an unpowered opponent and not inure them. If Mr. Morison had been injured in anyway we would’ve put a stop to the bout immediately”

“I see,” J’onn said a clear ‘I-am-not-amused’ tone in his voice “and you thought that it would be good idea to start this off by destroying my wall?” he wondered

“Actually…,” Alura sheepishly held up a hand, looking so sheepish and apologetic Alex briefly wondered if she had been replaced with a pod person “that was my fault,” she said “I kinda ran into her too hard when we sparing and…that happened” she nodded to the large, six foot wide hole in the wall, a piece of concrete broke off and hit the floor with a deep _thud_ as if to underline her statement. J’onn finally sighed and rubbed a hand over his face

“You’re all on desk duty until further notice,” he finally said “you,” he pointed to Alura “you made the hole, you clean it up. Without powers”

“I’ll get one of the kryptonite armbands we used for Astra after she defected” Alex said

“Get one for Astra too,” J’onn added, fixing the Kryptonian with a glare “she can help fix the wall,” Astra nodded respectfully, she was mature enough to realize that she had been wrong and was willing to make up for that mistake “that goes for you too, Alex” he added, she nodded, not wanting to risk his anger by objecting

“Hey! Don’t I get a say in this?” Alura demanded

“No!” everyone answered simultaneously, that at least, they could agree on, J’onn turned to Lucy “Lane, I’ll deal with _you_ later” he growled

“Yes sir” Lucy flinched under J’onn’s glare

“And what will you do?” Astra inquired

“I’ll go talk to CJ” J’onn answered

******

By the time J’onn had tracked down CJ in one of the empty training rooms his anger had left him for the most part, although he was still fuming somewhat, more at hoe irresponsible Alex and Astra had been when it came to CJ’s welfare. No, that wasn’t true, Alex and Astra were excellent parents, they would never knowingly endanger CJ’s life, which meant that Astra had been right, they had been wanting to see if CJ could control her powers enough to not hurt anyone, and she hadn’t, most of Morison’s injuries were from tripping over his own two feet and falling face-first into the floor while trying to hit her.

J’onn had watched the security footage, Morison was overconfident, he had clearly thought that because CJ was smaller than him it’d be an easy win, and then when he discovered that it wouldn’t be he’d gotten angry and had lost focus.

Mentally sighing, J’onn stopped at the top of the stairway leading down into the training area, watching as CJ moved through a kata or some type of Kryptonian (it was definitely Kryptonian) version of tai chi or some other martial art. She moved with the kind of grace and ease that only someone who had been doing it from a young age could move

“That was lovely” J’onn said once she finished, blushing CJ nodded

“ _Torquasm-Vo_ ” she replied

“Beg pardon?” J’onn asked, although he spoke Kryptonese fairly fluently, there were still some phrases—mostly culture specific—that he wasn’t familiar with, this being one of them

“ _Torquasm-Vo,_ ” CJ repeated as she moved into a second form “ancient Kryptonian warrior discipline,” she explained “part tai chi, part yoga, part kung fu. Supposedly, skilled disciples were capable of shifting their minds onto a purely mental plane of existence and fighting their enemy that way”

“Impressive,” J’onn remarked “maybe you and your cousin should try sparring that way, it might save the DEO money on having to repair our walls” CJ chuckled and blushed

“So, how much trouble am I in?” she asked as she kept moving, flowing with a fluidity and grace that only Astra could have taught her

“Not much,” J’onn answered “help your cousin and your mother fix the wall, without powers, and we’re even”

“Done,” J’onn blinked, he hadn’t really expected her to give in so easily “my mothers installed a good work ethic in me” she explained

“Obviously” J’onn grumbled, but he winked at her to let her know she wasn’t really in trouble

“Hey, how’s Morison? I didn’t really hurt him did I?” she asked, J’onn shook his head

“He’s fine, a few bumps and a severely bruised ego are the worst of his injuries” CJ breathed a sigh of relief

“Good, for a second there, I was worried” J’onn nodded

“You really were, weren’t you?” he noted, CJ nodded “that’s good,” J’onn noted “means that you care”

“Caring is good,” she noted, she winked at him “speaking of which, would you _care_ to join me?” J’onn chuckled and shifted into a tai chi pose

“I learned this from a Shaolin monk in the 1800s” he explained as he shifted into a pose

“Cool” and then they were silent, both flowing and moving with grace, centering their minds and their bodies

******

Lucy groaned as her cell phone buzzed, a text from Winn lighting up the screen, but it was the simple message of ‘HELP!! 911!!’ that got her attention. Worried, she quickly called back

“I just got your message, what’s wrong?” she said as soon as Winn answered

“ _Your Dad’s in town and wants to have dinner!!_ ” Winn yelped over the line, Lucy blinked

“And he called… _you?_ ” she asked, hoping that didn’t sound too insulting, if General Sam Lane had disliked James, he liked Winn even less, the only difference being that Winn apparently wasn’t worth insulting, whereas James was

“ _I don’t even know how he got my number,_ ” Winn exclaimed “ _actually, you know what, I don’t_ want _to know. Does he…know?_ ” Lucy shook her head

“No, I haven’t told him yet, I haven’t even told Lois yet, actually”

“ _Well, he wants to meet us tonight!_ ”

“Whoa, whoa, take a breath,” Lucy told him, she grinned as she got an idea “tell you what, I’ll invite Astra and Alex over, they can act as a buffer” she said, Winn chuckled a little breathlessly

“ _Good idea, maybe he’ll be so mad at the fact that you’re friends with the ‘alien hostile’ and her wife that he’ll forget about killing me once he finds out you’re pregnant,_ ” he paused “ _you_ are _going to tell him, right?_ ”

“Tonight,” Lucy confirmed “like ripping off a band-aid, just do it fast”

“ _Yeah,_ ” Winn gulped, Lucy could suddenly hear what sounded like yelling over the line, Winn groaned “ _oh, come on Jake, you know better than to download porn at work_ ” he muttered

“Problem?” Lucy asked

“ _Nothing I can’t fix,_ ” Winn chuckled “ _see ya, Luce_ ”

“Bye” she hung up and resolved to track down Alex and Astra as soon as possible.

Once she was finished scrubbing the floor with her toothbrush


	14. Astra and CJ Danvers and the Mall of Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy worries, Astra and CJ do some Christmas shopping, J'onn reveals something worrying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello All! Here's the next update in Family Matters (written _before_ Christmas, obviously), I hope everybody enjoys this one and I hope everybody enjoyed "The Late Nigh Shopping Shuffle", and now, ONWARDS!!

******

As it turned out, Lucy would not be scrubbing the entire floor of the DEO with her toothbrush, J’onn had actually told her flat out that her having dinner with her father and telling him that she was pregnant was punishment enough, she was still stuck on desk duty until further notice, but that was the extent of her punishment. With that out of the way, all that she needed to do now was track down Alex and Astra and convince them to join her for dinner with her father. Walking back to where there was still a massive hole in one wall she found Kara—still in her Surpergirl costume—sitting in an office chair reading a magazine

“Kara, hey, what are you doing here?” she asked

“I am supervising my daughter” Kara answered as she kept flipping through the magazine—which Lucy could see was a copy of Cosmo

“Hey, Alex, Astra, could you guys do me a really big favor?” she asked, the two women looked up from moving a particularly large piece of concrete

“If it’ll get us out of this, then the answer is ‘yes’” Alex said

“Darling, you don’t even know what it is,” Astra pointed out, huffing a bit from doing heavy lifting without her powers “and your end is slipping, lift!” she snapped

“I am lifting!” Alex snapped back as they hauled the broken piece to the cart so that it could be properly disposed of “and whatever it is, it’s gotta be better than this!” she gasped out “ay, I am getting too old for this” she panted

“Oh, come on, Alex,” Kara laughed “you’re only—”

“Don’t even!” Alex snapped, she turned to Lucy “you were saying?”

“Oh, uh, my father’s in town and he wants to have dinner with me and Winn tonight,” she began “and, I was kinda planning on, you know, telling him I was pregnant, so I was wondering…”

“What time do you want us there?” Alex interrupted

“We can’t” Astra said

“We can’t?” Alex echoed, confused “why the hell not?”

“Because you’re mother is coming this afternoon”

“Why?” Alex asked, Astra stared at her like she’d grown a second head

“Because it’s Christmas?” she finally said, Alex shook her head

“No, it’s only…” she frowned and began to count on her fingers “is it?” she finally asked

“Tomorrow” Astra confirmed

“Really?” Astra rolled her eyes

“Yes, Alex, tomorrow really is Christmas Eve”

“Wow”

“Hey, guys, can we focus on _my_ problem here?” Lucy asked

“We’ll talk to Eliza about having a late dinner” Astra told her

"Gee, thanks a lot" Lucy grumbled as she turned and stalked away

******

“So, you guys got an early release?” CJ teased Astra about half an hour later

“Don’t joke about that” Astra told her

“Right. Sorry, my bad” CJ winced at her unintentional faux pas, even before she really knew about her Mother’s past, she had learned early on that mentioning ‘imprisonment’, ‘jailed’, or ‘cell’ was not good

“And I’m the only one who was let go, your Mom is still filling out paperwork, and your cousin is still cleaning up the rubble” Astra explained

“And griping all the way no doubt” Astra nodded

“As expected, but,” she smiled at her daughter “it does mean that you and I are both free to do some last-minute Christmas shopping before your grandmother arrives” CJ grinned

“I’ll race you to the car”

******

The Oak Pines Mall was certainly not National City’s biggest mall, and probably never would be, but what it was, was the mall closest to both the DEO’s National City headquarters and Alex and Astra’s apartment, and so was the first place they went to for gift shopping

“Mother, your glasses” CJ prompted, Astra nodded as she slipped the lead-lined frames onto her face, with Christmas Even only half a day away, the crowds were bound to be epic, so a little dulling of Kryptonian super-senses was in order, for CJ it was easy, her glasses frames were already lined with lead, which made lunchtime at school in a room crammed full of loud, rowdy teenagers _so_ much easier on her, unlike Alura, which might have explained her personality.

“Shall we?” Astra asked. Finding a parking space was easy, since neither of them had to really worry about carrying heavy bags (for one thing they were only buying gifts for one person), they could just park on the street and walk.

Wading through the sea of people was another thing entirely. Grabbing her daughter’s hand tightly, Astra pushed and shoved her way through the crowd, snapping at anyone who got in her way or moved too slowly for her liking (no one could put as much emphasis behind ‘move!’ as a former general, human or otherwise). Finally, after about fifteen minutes of pushing and shoving and dirty looks on Astra’s part (and apologizing and offers to help someone carry their bag on CJ’s) they reached their destination; the directory “all right, what are we looking for?” Astra wondered

“I don’t know,” CJ sighed, grunting as they were jostled by the crowd “honestly, I was just looking forward to the mother-daughter time” she admitted, Astra chuckled

“Well, thank you dear, but we _do_ have to get your grandmother _something_ ”

“Well, there’s a jewelry place over here, by Mrs. Fields,” CJ tapped the map, both of them sighed, visions of Mrs. Fields cookies dancing in their heads “I shouldn’t have mentioned that” CJ muttered

“You’re absolutely right,” Astra agreed “come; we can let that be our reward for surviving… _this_ ”

“Good idea,” CJ grinned at her mother “so, what’s the plan, _general?_ ” she teased, Astra chuckled

“We’ll split up,” she began, tracing out routes on the directory like it was a battle map “I’ll go to the jewelry store, you, go to the second floor and scout out that new knick-knacks shop, maybe you’ll find something there. We’ll regroup at Mrs. Fields in fifteen minutes” she looked up at a shout, frowning as two women quickly got into a shoving match over a box, Astra didn’t know what it was, nor did she care to know, but whatever it was, it was obviously the ‘last-one-in-the-store’.

“Maybe we should make that half an hour” CJ suggested

“Agreed” Astra grumbled

******

CJ frowned at the two snow globes in front of her. Both were equally pretty (not mention equally expensive) but CJ was still stumped on which on to get, if she even decided to get one of them at all

“CJ?” CJ blinked and looked up

“Maggie! Hi!” she grinned and pulled the cop into a hug, besides Aunt Kara and Aunt Lucy, Maggie Sawyer had always been her favorite babysitter growing up (aside from Winn of course, what kid _wouldn't_ like him as a babysitter?), she was the one who helped CJ put out the fire in the kitchen after the microwave ignited (and nobody was still clear on how exactly that had happened in the first place)

“Hey,” Maggie laughed, hugging her back “how’s my favorite kid?”

“Overwhelmed,” CJ groaned, she gestured to the two snow globes “I’m trying to get something for my Grandmother, but, trouble is, I can only afford one of these, and she’s one of those people who never ask for a gift, but—”

“…but always give you the really expensive stuff and makes you feel like a complete and total ass because your gift is crap compared to hers” Maggie finished

“Yep,” CJ nodded “what about you?” she asked; Maggie reached into her bag and pulled out a nice, burgundy scarf

“I figured Susan could always use a scarf, you know?”

“Probably,” CJ agreed “although it’s a bit of token gift. She around?”

“Nope, still back at work, we were supposed to meet for lunch, but something happened, something about a wall collapsing?” CJ blushed, Maggie smirked “why do I get the feeling that either you, your cousin, your aunt Kara, or your mother knows something about this?”

“Just me and Ally,” she explained “we were sparing, and…”

“…things got a little rough,” Maggie nodded, she frowned “you here by yourself?” she asked

“Oh, no, Mother’s downstairs at the jewelry store” Maggie nodded

“Where are you guys meeting up?”

“Mrs. Fields, why?”

“Mind if I join you later?” Maggie asked “if I have to keep going back and forth through that crowd I might just end up shooting someone” CJ chuckled

“Sure, c’mon”

“Uh, hey, your gift for granny?” Maggie pointed to the snow globes; CJ sighed then closed her eyes and grabbed one at random. Opening her eyes, she nodded at her choice

******

Astra had ordered about two dozen cookies in every variety the store had, the clerks eyes had nearly bugged out, and a couple of kids behind her had groaned in disappointment. Feeling bad, Astra had changed her order to two dozen cookies, only one of each kind, she then found a table at the Vietnamese restaurant next door, ordered enough food for six, and sat down, fired off a quick text to CJ that she was done shopping and asking how she fairing. With that done she began to demolish her dozen cookies (the other twelve were for CJ. Maybe. It depended on when she got there)

“Astra!” she looked up, seeing J’onn and Eliza working their way through the crowd

“Eliza!” she laughed as she stood up and allowed her mother-in-law to sweep her up into a tight hug that even she with her superstrength and invulnerability found impressive “what are you doing here, I thought your flight wasn’t suppose to get in until tomorrow”

“Oh, it was canceled,” Eliza explained as she sat down “fortunately, J’onn was able to pick me up” Astra nodded, smirking at the Martian as he sat down next to Eliza

“And how was Martian Airways?” she asked

“Exhilarating,” Eliza sighed “I can see why you and Kara enjoy it so much”

“I’m surprised you haven’t taken her flying more often,” Astra commented “Alex and I go out almost every other week” J’onn shrugged

“It never really came up” he said, Astra just shook her head in disbelief

“Mother!” she looked, seeing CJ hopping up in the crowd, waving a hand, Astra waved back and beckoned her closer, watching as her daughter’s face lit up at the sight of Eliza

“Oh, there’s my favorite granddaughter!” Eliza rushed forward, sweeping the girl up into a hug “oh, you’ve gotten so tall!” she frowned “and you’re dressed…differently” Astra blinked and then blushed as she realized that CJ was still in her sleeveless t-shirt and yoga pants and sneakers

“I’m sorry, she was sparring with Alura earlier, and I guess we both forgot that she didn’t change”

“Oh, that’s all right,” Eliza dismissed, she turned back to CJ “so, what’s this I hear about you getting arrested?”

“How did you hear about that?” Astra wondered, Eliza smirked but said nothing. Astra scowled at J’onn and promptly kicked him in the shin under the table, to his credit; he barely reacted aside from a slight grunt which went unnoticed by Eliza

“Ugh,” CJ groaned, dropping her head onto the table “why can’t anybody in this family ne like normal people just let that whole mess _die_ like you’re suppose to?” she wondered

“We can’t do that _because_ we’re your family” Astra explained

“ _Great_ ” CJ drawled

“Astra, could I talk to you for a minute?” J’onn asked “privately?”

“Oh, dear,” Eliza said, she stood up and took CJ’s hand “come on, dear, let’s give our two secret agents some privacy” with that she led CJ away to a nearby kiosk

“Something the matter?” Astra asked as soon as she and J’onn were alone

“Non’s finally awake” he answered

“I see” was Astra’s noncommittal answer and it was at times like these that J’onn wished he could read her mind because right now it was like talking to a statue

“There’s more to it,” he explained “he wants to talk”

“I have nothing to say to him”

“No, not to you,” J’onn explained “he wants to talk to CJ”


	15. Family Dinner Matters, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex, Astra, and Lucy head to dinner with her father and Winn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here's an update of Family Matters, I wanted to do this since Strange Visitor was so dark recently, so I wanted something light to balance it out. Enjoy!

******

“No! No way! Absolutely not!” Alex waved her hands emphatically “he’s not getting within a hundred feet, hell a hundred _miles_ , of CJ. Not while I’m still alive!”

“I’m not arguing with you,” Astra exclaimed “I’m merely relaying the message from J’onn”

“Well, you can relay a message back to him from me that his telepathy’s on the frizz,” Alex shot back “because he should know by now to not even bother asking us something like that,” she frowned and stopped her rant “where are we going again?” Astra sighed as she unlocked the car

“Just get in,” she glanced around the brightly-lit, but largely empty, DEO parking garage “I’ll find out what’s taking Lucy so long”

******

Meanwhile, about a dozen or so spaces over, Lucy punched the dashboard of her car as she tried to start it again, the ignition made some rather ominous-sounding _wheezes_ and coughed a bit (which would’ve been fine if it wasn’t electric) but otherwise stubbornly refused to start

“Come on! Start damn you! You were working fine this morning!” letting go of the key she pulled back a leg and started to kick at the floorboards, a knock on the window stopped her and she looked up, startled

“I’m not an expert on cars,” Astra called out from outside “…but I’m fairly certain that kicking it won’t fix the problem” Lucy scowled as she opened the door

“This is my father’s fault,” she exclaimed “I swear, it’s like Voodoo! Every time he comes to National City things go wrong, military androids go rouge, aliens try to melt our brains. My car dies”

“Technically,” Astra pointed out “both Red Tornado and the Myriad wave had nothing to do with your father, he simply just happened to be here at the same time,” she chuckled at Lucy’s expression, which clearly said ‘I’m-going-to-keep-blaming-my-father-for-this-no-matter-what-you-say’ “come on,” Astra reached into the car and slid the keys out of the ignition “you can ride with us”

******

“Alex used to do that when she was pregnant” Astra commented suddenly as they rounded a corner, Lucy frowned

“Do what?” she asked

“What you’re doing with your arm” blinking, Lucy looked down and saw that she had one arm wrapped protectively around her waist, as if shielding her unborn child from the dangers of the world

“I…didn’t even know I was doing that” she muttered

“Neither did Alex,” Astra explained “here we are” Lucy blinked, she’d never known what kind of car, if any, Alex and Astra drove, she’d always imagined something reliable and well-built and possibly tank-like considering their protective attitude towards CJ, and found that she was more or less right. The car was a sea foam green compact SUV, it looked like it had probably been used when they had bought it, but was clearly in good working order, although the paint was a little worn and even dinged and scratched here and there.

The hatchback was covered in bumper stickers that proclaimed that the car’s owners supported the ASPCA, the Humane Society, the Audubon Society, the World Wildlife Fund, the Nature Conservatory, PFLAG, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, Reporters Without Borders, Alien Amnesty (naturally), and about a dozen other charities and grassroots movements that Lucy had never even heard of.

“Hey, Luce” Alex greeted from the front as Lucy climbed in

“Hey,” Lucy greeted as Astra climbed into the driver’s seat “whoa, wait a minute, _Astra’s driving?_ ”

“I’m not Kara, Lucy,” Astra assured her with a chuckle “I _can_ drive, I've doing it for sixteen years”

“Unlike your niece,” Alex muttered “hey, did you hear? She flattened another mailbox today”

“What is that, the third this month?” Lucy wondered

“Fifth, I think” Astra replied as she pulled the car out of the space and very skillfully, downright easily, guided to the entrance where all three of them signed out, and then left the premises “why was Kara even driving anyway?” Astra wondered as they merged with the evening rush hour traffic (and promptly slowed to a stop)

“Mrs. Olsen’s in town for Christmas and Kara picked her up from the airport” Alex explained

“Why couldn’t James just pick her up?” Lucy wondered

“I don’t know,” Alex answered “I think it was because of the Christmas Parade, Cat wanted him to get some good shots of the floats. Or something, I wasn’t really paying attention”

“That’s not like you” Astra noted as she honked the horn a bit and then changed lanes

“I was too busy scrambling to get a babysitter for CJ”

“So, who’d you get?” Lucy wondered

“My Mom and J’onn,” Alex answered “so they’re staying at our place right now watching CJ”

“Let’s just hope Eliza hasn’t decided to play poker again,” Astra grumbled “that last time she did that we lost the TV”

“Don’t worry, J’onn’s assured me all betting and gambling is prohibited for the night” Alex assured her

“Wait, what?” Lucy laughed

“Yeah, one of the last times Mom babysat she taught CJ how to play poker,” Alex explained “don’t ask me _why_ , but she did, and anyway, CJ bet Mom our TV and lost”

“And you lost the TV?” Lucy reasoned

“Yep, our very expensive flat screen TV is now sitting in Mom’s living room back home in Midvale”

“Seriously?!” Lucy laughed

“Seriously,” Astra confirmed “left or right?”

“Huh, oh, right, and it’s the building at the corner on the left”

“Thank you,” the car gently glided to a stop as Astra then expertly parallel parked and shut off the engine “does anyone else smell smoke?” Astra wondered as they climbed out of the car

“Not me” Alex replied as they walked inside and pressed for the elevator

“Maybe it’s from somewhere else in the city?” Lucy suggested as they climbed into the elevator

“No,” Astra shook her head “it’s definitely from this building” the elevator stopped and they got out

“Huh, now I smell it” Alex muttered

“Yeah, me too,” Lucy agreed as they got closer and closer to the apartment “oh no” she groaned.

She quickly slid her key into the lock and opened the door

A billow of smoke suddenly poured out of the open door, followed the scream of a smoke alarm and Winn yelling “WINN!” Lucy rushed inside, Alex and Astra rushing in after her

“I’m all right!” Winn called back, coughing “I just…”

“Oh, please tell me you didn’t try to cook!” Lucy groaned as Alex and Astra opened the windows

“OK!” Alex coughed, she tapped her wife on the shoulder “do your thing” Astra quickly exhaled, a gust of icy wind blew through the apartment, clearing the smoke and dropping the temperature about five degrees

“Thanks” Lucy gasped out as she breathed in cold, but smoke-free, air

“She comes in handy” Alex agreed, Astra stuck her tongue out at her

“Everybody OK?” Winn asked as he stood by a still smoldering dish of what might have been an attempt at lasagna at one point in a pervious life, but had since been reincarnated into a lump of charcoal

“Yeah, no thanks to you,” Lucy rubbed at her still-watery eyes “why in the world would you try to cook?” she demanded “you know you can’t, even I can’t, that’s why we eat at Alex and Astra’s so often”

“Oh, so that’s it, is it?” Astra wondered “you don’t really like us, you just want our food”

“It’s good food” Alex agreed, Astra rolled her eyes

“That still doesn’t explain Winn’s abysmal attempt at cooking” she pointed out

“Hey!” Winn protested “it’s not ‘abysmal’, it’s just…,” he trailed off “OK, it’s abysmal” he admitted

“Trying to impress Lucy’s dad, Winn?” Alex wondered

“No,” he began “more like…soften the blow?”

“Good luck with that” Alex muttered

“Well, what we do now?” Lucy wondered “it’s too late to order anything, and good luck trying to a seat in a restaurant this close to Christmas”

“I can fix that,” Astra declared, she smirked at her wife “after all, I do come in handy”

******

Astra’s solution was so simple Lucy was surprised she hadn’t thought of it sooner, after all she’d seen Kara do it a thousand times. With a woosh and a gust of cold air, Astra landed on the fire escape, climbed inside, and artfully unloaded a dozen or so boxes of Chinese takeout onto plates in a blur of superspeed 

“Thanks,” Winn said gratefully, he pulled her into a hug, which she happily and easily returned “you’re a lifesaver” he declared as he pulled away, Astra snorted

“Hardly,” she chuckled “but thank you for saying it”

“OK,” Lucy sighed “you two sure you don’t want to back out?” she asked “because you can”

There was a sudden knock at the door

“Too late” Winn muttered


	16. Family Dinner Matters, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy's dad arrives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here's the long-awaited update to Family Matters, I'm sorry it took me so long, but I had trouble deciding what General Lane's reaction was going to be, I hope everyone is satisfied with the end result. Also, a bit of continuity note, I'm going on the idea that General Lane doesn't know that Kara is Supergirl, so as far as he knows Alex is married to Astra and happens to have a sister who is married to Lucy's ex-boyfriend, hope that makes sense
> 
> And now...ONWARDS!!

******

Lucy took a breath, counted to ten, and then opened the door

“Hi, Dad” she said, on the other side, Sam Lane smiled and pulled her into a hug

“Merry Christmas, Luce,” he said as he pulled away “oh,” he frowned at the sight of Alex and Astra standing by the table with Winn “I thought it would just be the three of us” he said as he came inside, his cane thumping quietly against the doorframe as Lucy shut the door

“Sorry,” Lucy apologized “but I invited them” Lane frowned at her

“I see,” he said as he walked over, happily shaking hands with the two women “Ms. Danvers, General”

“General,” Astra acknowledged politely “you’re looking well” she noted

“Yes,” Alex agreed “how’s the prosthetic feeling?” she inquired, referring to the prosthetic leg that he now wore below his left knee, a injury sustained during the final battle against Non and Fort Rozz, an injury that could’ve been a lot worse if Astra hadn’t cauterized the wound with her heat vision and then flown him back to base camp

“Much better, thank you,” Lane replied “the new model’s working well”

“Well,” Lucy said “now that’s over with, shall we eat?”

“Lucy, are you feeling all right?” Lane asked

“Fine” Lucy said quickly, Lane frowned at her

“What’s wrong?” he asked, he sent a slight glare in Winn’s direction, the message clear: _’if you’ve harmed my daughter, they won’t ever find your body’_

Winn felt faint

The feeling of Astra’s elbow in his ribs revived him

“Actually, Dad,” Lucy began, she huffed out a breath “I was hoping to tell you this later, but, we—Winn and I—we’re---”

“Oh my god, you’re pregnant” Lane exclaimed, staring at her with wide eyes

“How did he…?” Alex wondered, looking at her wife in confusion, who merely shrugged and went back to watching the spectacle unfolding in front of her

“Yeah,” Lucy groaned “we are,” she risked a glance at him, so far he was still staring at her, his eyes darting back and forth between her and Winn “Dad?” she asked quietly “are you…OK with this?” Lane slowly nodded “you’re not…mad?” she asked, Lane blinked

“Mad?” he asked, looking surprised, he suddenly laughed “I’m going to be a grandpa!” he laughed richly as he swiftly pulled Lucy into a bear hug, pulling back he turned to Winn, still grinning widely “oh, come here, son!”

“Oh!” Winn let out a surprised yelp as General Sam Lane actually _hugged_ him

“Oh, look at that,” Astra murmured to her wife “you own me fifty dollars” Alex scowled

“Merry Christmas to you too” she muttered, digging the bill out her pocket and shoving it towards her wife

“You really shouldn’t carry that much money on your person in cash” Astra warned as she actually held the bill up to light, checking to see if it was counterfeit

“What? After over sixteen years of marriage you don’t trust me?” Alex wondered

“You, yes, banks, not particularly”

“What are you guys doing?” Lucy asked, the other two women looked over at her, startled

“Oh, we made a bet,” Astra explained, pocketing the fifty “I bet Alex that your father would quite happy with the idea of being a grandfather and she bet me that he wouldn’t”

“And I take it that you just won?” Lane, not sounding at all bothered by the fact they actually made a bet on his reaction

“Yes” Astra replied, Lane simply shrugged

“So,” he began, nodding towards the table “how far along are you?”

“Not far,” Lucy replied as everyone sat down “we only found out yesterday”

“I’m curious,” Lane began “why did you invite General Astra and Agent Danvers?”

“Moral support,” Lucy admitted “I honestly didn’t know how you were going to react” Lane nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer

“Well,” he began “if you two ladies have other matters to attend to, you’re more than welcome to go,” he offered “I can assure you that I won’t murder Winn over dinner” Lucy, Alex and Astra chuckled, while Winn still looked a little shell-shocked

“We probably should go see how CJ’s doing,” Alex admitted, she glanced at Lucy “you mind?” Lucy shook her head

“No, go ahead, go spend Christmas with your daughter” she encouraged

“Oh, yes,” Lane said “I keep forgetting you two have a daughter”

“That’s right” Astra confirmed, grabbing Alex’s jacket and holding it out to her

“How old is she now?” Lane wondered

“A wonderfully brilliant sixteen” Alex answered fondly, Lane smiled

“They grow up fast, don’t they?”

“They do indeed,” Astra confirmed “oh, Lucy, Christmas morning with Kara and James?”

“Sure,” Lucy frowned at her father “unless you wanted to doing something else, Dad?” he shook his head

“No, no, by all means” he replied

“Why don’t you join us, General?” Alex suddenly offered “it’s not much, just my sister and her husband and daughter, and then my mother and step-father” Lane nodded 

“I’d be honored, Ms. Danvers” Alex nodded

“Cool,” she waved at Lucy “bye, Luce,” she frowned “hey, Winn?” she called out

“Huh?” he mumbled out, still looking stunned

“Try blinking” she suggested


	17. CJ's Bad Bets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Alex and Astra are at dinner with Lucy and Winn, CJ and Eliza and J'onn have some fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here's a short update to Family Matters, hope everyone enjoys it, and I hope you all look forward to Part Ten of What we are! And now ONWARDS!!!

******

“Green” CJ called out, Eliza slid out a card

“The excrement of an antelope is rumored to smell like what?” she read

“Lilacs” CJ answered, rolling the dice, Eliza scowled

“There are six categories to pick from, but she always picks either ‘science & nature’, ‘history’, or ‘arts & literature’” she complained

“ ** _You’re only sore because you keep losing,_** ” J’onn told her as he came back from the kitchen carrying two plates piled high with sandwiches, looking odd as the fairy lights that Astra had strung up years ago glinted off his verdant green skin and armor. Over the years he’d gotten more comfortable in his own form around the extended Danvers/Olsen family, and although he still maintained Hank Henshaw’s form at the DEO, when in private, like right now, he returned to his own Green Martian form. Eliza frowned at the plates as he set them down “ ** _all healthy_** ” J’onn assured her

“Says the man who’s on his second bag of Chocos” she pointed out, the Martian merely chuckled, while CJ snickered, when both her grandparents frowned at her, she shrugged

“Nothing,” she began “it’s just…a Martian eating Chocos,” she explained “it’s a pretty funny sight” 

“Not when you keep finding crumbs in the bed night after night” Eliza complained, pulling a face

“You know, you guys are just as bad as Mom and Mother,” CJ commented “they always do this, argue over everything and nothing”

“Every couple is different, honey” Eliza reminded her

“I know,” CJ replied “Lucy calls it ‘verbal foreplay’” Eliza choked while J’onn grimaced

“ ** _That sounds like Lucy_** ” he muttered

“You know,” Eliza began “even after all this time, I’m still surprised at the friendship between Kara and her”

“ ** _In what way?_** ” J’onn wondered

“Well, Lucy is James’ ex,” Eliza began “now, in most cases the wife and her husband’s ex are friendly, but not to this level, I mean Lucy is Alura’s godmother”

“So?” CJ questioned, confused “she’s mine too”

“I know, that’s my point,” Eliza explained “most people aren’t that comfortable around their spouse’s ex,” she scowled at the board game in front of her “and this is getting repetitive, CJ keeps winning”

“What else would you suggest?” CJ wondered, Eliza’s eyes lit up

“No!” CJ and J’onn both said at once

“ ** _I promised Alex and Astra that they wouldn’t lose anymore property because of CJ’s bad bets_** ” J’onn explained

“Hey!” CJ protested, while Eliza scowled

“How about _Monopoly_?” she suggested “it’s not even real money” both CJ and J’onn sighed

“ ** _Fine_** ” J’onn allowed, clearly trying not to jump for joy, Eliza hurried to the cabinet and pulled out the Monopoly box while CJ and J’onn put away _Trivial Pursuit_. But just as Eliza opened the box there was the sound of a key being slid into the lock

“Hello,” Alex called out as the door opened “Mom? We’re home”

“Damn it!” Eliza swore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know, short, but hopefully funny. Let me know what you thought! :=)


	18. Family Legal Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astra and Alex get home and then get a nasty surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! "Family Matters" has finally been updated! And don't worry fans of What we are, Part Eleven will be updated soon, it's just I'm on a roll with this verse lately, so might as well continue

******

“So, aside from your grandmother’s attempt at gambling, how was tonight?” Astra wondered as she chopped up tomatoes for a late dinner with Eliza, while Eliza herself and J’onn set up the pullout couch

“I heard that” Eliza called out to Astra, who just smirked

“The usual,” CJ shrugged as she helped Eliza and J’onn with the couch “how was dinner with Winn and Lucy?” she wondered “you win that bet with Mom?”

“Very much so” Astra replied

“What bet?” Eliza asked

“Oh, Mother bet Mom that General Lane would be so happy about being a grandfather that he wouldn’t kill Winn” CJ explained

“I hope you two are planning on helping them with being parents” Eliza wondered

“Of course we are, Mom,” Alex answered as she set the table “in fact,” she added “the day after Christmas, Astra and I are going to go take her to the storage unit, give them some of CJ’s old stuff”

“I’m still surprised Winn didn’t faint when he found out,” Eliza commented “what kind of ‘stuff’?” she wondered, Alex shrugged

“I dunno, the crib for one thing, the stroller, maybe some old oneses or clothes if she wants them,” she explained “I mean we got enough,” she added “you practically bought CJ one in every color when she was little”

“Well how I could resist?” Eliza grinned “it’d been a long time since I had a baby to fuss over” she smiled at her granddaughter, reaching out and playfully ruffling her curls

“Ah,” Astra said “so that’s why you took in Kara, empty nest syndrome”

“Astra!” Eliza laughed, throwing a pillowcase in her general direction “that’s completely and utterly false and you know it!” she added, still chuckling, Astra had never been upset over the Danvers taking in Kara, if anything she’d been overjoyed at their generosity and kindness

“I’m only teasing, Eliza” Astra laughed

“I know”

“So, what’s for dinner, Mother?” CJ wondered

“Beef stew”

“Ooh, Vietnamese-style or home-style?” CJ asked, perking up

“Home-style I’m afraid,” Astra replied “I’m out of the ingredients for beef pho”

“Damn!”

“Language,” Alex warned as someone knocked on the door “who’s that?” Alex wondered, frowning, she put the chain on and opened the door “yes?”

“Yes, I’m looking for an ‘Alexandra or Astra Danvers’?” the man on the other side asked

“I’m Alex Danvers, what’s this about?” he handed her am envelope

“You’ve been served, Mrs. Danvers,” he said simply “have a good night”

“What was that?” Astra asked as Alex closed the door and tore open the envelope

“Oh…fuck!” she swore

“Language.” CJ mimicked, but frowned “OK, that would usually earn me a yell of ‘don’t be a smart-ass’,” she noted “what’s wrong?”

“Jeffery Courts’ family is suing us!” Alex exclaimed

“Who?” Eliza asked

“He was the boy who CJ threw into a buffet table,” Astra explained “what are they suing us for?”

“Medical expenses,” Alex snapped “according to this, now they claim that he has whiplash and possible nerve damage from landing on the buffet table”

“That’s ridiculous!” Astra exclaimed “I saw that boy, he looked fine!”

“I don’t know,” CJ began “I did accidently break his collarbone and right arm” she pointed out

“Just,” Alex sighed “you know what, I can’t deal with this right now, let’s all just have dinner and I’ll talk to Lucy about it tomorrow,” she stuffed the paper back in the envelope “merry fucking Christmas!!” she spat

******

“I can _hear_ you thinking” Astra said into the darkness, Alex sighed

“I just…,” she scowled “you know this is what we were always afraid of” Astra shook her head

“No, this is what _you_ were always afraid of,” she pointed out “she’s a _good kid_ , Alex. All she does, all she has ever done, is tried to be the most caring and loving person possible, and we didn’t teach her that, she was just born that way naturally. Do you remember when that pigeon flew into the window when she was six? She insisted on trying to nurse it back to health, and then cried for days when it finally died, she _cares_ , Alex, that’s her purpose in life, I think, is to _care_ , for every thing, everyone, everywhere”

“I know, I know,” Alex sighed “but…god, just one little slip up in that ‘loving’ personality and we all pay for it. Literally”

“Put it out of your mind,” Astra advised “and talk to Lucy tomorrow”

“All right” Alex sighed, taking her wife’s hand under the covers and tightly squeezing

“ _El mayra_ ” Astra whispered, squeezing back

" _Uldif zehdh_ ,” Alex whispered "family forever"


	19. Family Christmas Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas morning arrives, but not without a few hiccups

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! The next chapter in Family Matters is now up, up next more General Danvers family fluff, more Karaolsen family fluff, and more Major Nerd family fluff, enjoy! :=)

It was a rustling sound that woke Astra and not the alarm. Blinking, she looked around, Alex was still asleep and it was still dark out, Astra’s own internal clock told her that it was about six thirty or so in the morning. Squinting, she x-rayed through the wall, finding CJ sitting at the dinning table rifling through a pile of papers.

Getting up and quietly gliding over the floor so as not to wake Alex she made her way out into the living room, grateful that, as they did every time they stayed over, Eliza and J’onn took up CJ’s offer of using her room while CJ herself slept on the couch which mean that neither mother or daughter would disturb Eliza or J’onn.

Although Eliza and J’onn always offered to take the couch, CJ, practically from the time she was old enough to understand the concept of manners, always offered up her room to her grandparents. Eventually, after about a decade of this, Eliza and J’onn just finally gave up arguing and just took CJ’s room whenever they stayed over 

“CJ?” Astra whispered into the dark “what are you doing?”

“I’m looking over our bills and trying to see if we can actually afford to pay this lawsuit,” CJ answered, she frowned “we seriously pay _this much_ for rent?”

“CJ,” Astra sighed “this isn’t your fault”

“But it _is!_ ” CJ hissed “at least partly, _I_ was the one who threw him into a buffet table”

“Only because that little cretin couldn’t keep his hands off my daughter,” Astra growled, she pulled a chair out and sat down, gently brushing CJ’s hands away from the papers “CJ, this isn’t your fault,” she repeated “and we’ll get through this, we always do, _El mayra_ , remember?” CJ nodded quietly “come on, back to bed”

“Could I…,” CJ began “no, actually never mind”

“What is it?”

“Could I stay with you guys?” she finally asked “just for a little while? I know I’m a little too old for that kind of thing, but right now…” Astra smiled

“Come on” she lead her into the master bedroom, Alex sitting up as they came inside

“Hey, what’s going on?” she asked as she rubbed her eyes

“Oh, someone here was trying to help us solve this lawsuit,” Astra dismissed as she nudged Alex sideways “do you mind if she stays here for awhile?”

“What? No, no, of course not,” Alex smiled “c’mere, munchkin,” she patted the mattress, smiling as CJ crawled inside the covers, Alex now squished between her wife and daughter “what brought this on?” she wondered

“Just…everything” CJ sighed

“Well, come on, go to sleep,” Alex gave her a kiss on the forehead “we’ve got to get up early for Christmas morning with Kara” she reminded them

******

Morning came just an hour later, Alex shifted, grunting in surprise as her head bumped into Astra’s chin. Wriggling around a bit, she found herself spooned up against Astra, while curled up behind her, CJ quietly snored away

“Good morning” Astra greeted

“Morning,” Alex mumbled “not that I’m complaining too much, but…?”

“She blames herself for the lawsuit” Astra explained, Alex nodded in quiet understanding as she rolled over and observed her sleeping daughter

“I remember when she used to do this,” she recalled fondly “after she’d had a nightmare or when she got sick, she used to just crawl in here and make herself at home”

“But then she grew up” Astra pointed out, somewhat wistfully

“Not too much” Alex countered as CJ slowly woke up, blinking and then squinting at her parents

“Uh…did I stay here all that time?” she finally asked

“You did” Alex confirmed

“Oh. Sorry”

“Its fine,” Alex gave her a playful nudge “come on, up and at ‘em, we’ve got a big day ahead of us” she nudged both Astra and CJ out of bed

“Come on, you can help me with breakfast” Astra said as she led CJ out of the room and into the kitchen

“Well, I _could_ help you,” CJ began “but it seems kind of moot now that Nana’s cooking breakfast” she pointed out as Eliza banged around inside the cupboards

“Don’t be smart” Astra and Eliza declared simultaneously

“ ** _Good morning_** ” J’onn greeted as he walked in, shifting into Hank Hensahw’s form as he did

“Good morning, J’onn,” Astra greeted as she began to help Eliza with the meal “did you want anything in particular for breakfast?”

“Just toast, coffee, and scrambled eggs” he replied

“He always eats that,” Eliza complained “every single day”

“I like it,” J’onn remarked as he sat down “does anyone have the paper?”

“I got it,” CJ leaned out the door and then came back in holding up a copy of the _Tribune_ “OK, headlines for J’onn and Mom, lifestyle for Nana, tech for me, and the comics for Mother” she handed out each section of the paper and then sat back down

“Is something burning?” Alex suddenly called out from the bedroom

“No, it must be your allergies, love,” Astra called back as she swiftly smothered the small grease fire “we’ll just not mention this” she muttered as she turned down the heat

******

Fifteen minutes later everybody was fed, clothed in winter attire, and were now trying to stuff all the presents and themselves into the car. A task that was proving harder than to be expected

“No, wait, move this box…there,” CJ grabbed a large, lumpy box and moved it to the side “and there”

“Yes, except now we can’t see out the rear window” Astra pointed out

“Well _damn!_ ” CJ put her hands on her hips and scowled

“Come on!” Alex exclaimed “we did this last year with no problem”

“Yes, but last year the gifts weren’t so…bulky” Astra pointed out

“Wait! Wait, I think I got it” Eliza dove into the pile of brightly wrapped gifts and, in a blur of motion worthy of Kara or Astra, had arranged the boxes in a practical and artful arrangement

“Wow” Alex exclaimed

“Nana how did you…?” CJ wondered

“I raised two teenagers,” Eliza reminded them “this is nothing”

“OK then,” J’onn nodded “everybody in”

“Shotgun!” Alex grinned

******

A few minutes later, after battling Christmas morning traffic, the five arrived at Kara and James apartment building; they were just starting to unload the gifts when Winn’s car pulled up

“Hey,” Winn waved as he and Lucy climbed out, followed by General Lane “wow that is a lot of gifts” he exclaimed

“You think?” Alex snapped, she nodded politely at General Lane “General”

“Ms. Danvers,” Lane nodded back “I’d shake your hand, but you seem to have them full at the moment” he noted

“Funny, Dad,” Lucy barely resisted rolling her eyes “oh, Dad, this is Alex’s mother, Eliza,” Lane and Eliza shook hands “and this is their daughter, CJ”

“Ah, so, this is the mysterious daughter,” Lane nodded as he shook hands with her “so, ‘CJ’, is that short for anything?” he wondered

“Connor Jeremiah,” CJ replied “but almost everybody calls me, ‘CJ’, even my teachers” she explained, Lane nodded as he turned to Lucy

“I thought Ms. Danvers’ stepfather was coming?” he wondered

“He is,” J’onn replied “I’m the stepfather, General” he explained, Lane’s eyebrow rose as he glanced between Eliza and J’onn

“I see,” he finally said “here,” he grabbed one of the last bags out of the trunk “let me get that for you”

“Thank you, General,” Astra nodded “shall we?” she shifted the bag she was holding against her hip and managed to wriggle the car keys out of her pocket, clicking the button on the fob that locked the car

“I’m so glad Kara just moved one floor down when she and James had Alura” Alex grumbled. When James and Kara had first moved in together James had been living in a tiny studio apartment, so he’d moved in with Kara, when they’d gotten pregnant with Alura they’d gotten lucky in that a larger apartment just one floor down had opened up, so they simply moved in down there, which had been better that running around the city trying to find an apartment they could both afford in a neighborhood that was safe to raise a child in.

“I think you spoke too soon, love” Astra commented, scowling at the elevator, which had a clear ‘OUT OF ORDER’ sign on it

“Oh, come on!!!” Alex roared “Christmas from hell, I swear”

******

The solution had been surprisingly simple, Alex, Eliza, J’onn, Lucy, Winn, and General Lane, all waited downstairs while CJ and Astra ran the gifts up to the apartment in a blur of superspeed (much to General Lane’s surprise). With that done, everybody went up the stairs—General Lane having some difficulty due to his prosthetic leg, but he made up—and simply gathered the gifts piled outside the door and knocked

“Kara!” Alex called out “it’s us!” the door opened and a sunny Kara, complete with a Santa hat atop her head, peaked out

“Hey, come on in!” she grinned “you’re just in time” the group filed on in, stopping in the middle of the room and simply staring

“Oh my” General Lane commented. The entire apartment was very…festive; to put it delicately, to put less delicately it looked as if Santa’s Workshop had thrown up all over it. Every single kind of Christmas-themed decoration, the tacky the better it seemed, was strewn around the apartment. The tree was covered with so many blinking lights that it was a wonder it hadn’t caught fire yet, an inflatable Frosty the Snowman stood next to said tree, and veritable _webs_ of garlands surrounded the windows, just to mention a few.

In the midst of this holiday nightmare, sat James, his mother, and a very sullen-looking Alura (which was something of a redundancy, since ever since she hit puberty she always looked somewhat sullen). CJ suddenly began chuckling

“Nice sweater, cuz,” she grinned “very festive” Alura’s scowl deepened as she fumed in her sickening bright green sweater with Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer on it (to make it even more unpleasant, the nose actually blinked), she looked as if she might say something, but Mrs. Olsen cleared her throat and gave Alura a sharp glare

“Language,” she warned, she turned to the others and beckoned them in “come in, come in” the group broke up at that, Astra and CJ making a beeline for the buffet table with two identical ‘hi, Kara’s, while Lucy and Winn unloaded the presents, and Alex went over to James who was fiddling with the stove

“Going all out this year, I see,” she commented “we really need to break this habit of hers,” she sighed “or at least get her to use some more common sense when decorating”

“It’s fine” James dismissed as he checked on the turkey

“Really?” Alex asked “your daughter’s wearing a sweater that has an actual blinking red nose”

“Alex, its fine,” James assured “besides, Kara likes it” Alex sighed

“I know,” she groaned as she took the bowl he held out to her and began to stir the cranberry sauce “I swear the pout of hers should be one of her superpowers” she muttered

“Alex,” she looked up as Kara came over, having—thankfully—removed her sweater “uh, why is General Lane here?” she asked

“I invited him,” Alex explained “well, I invited Lucy and Winn like usual and then it only seemed fair to invite him too” she explained

“So, I’m guessing that, since Winn’s still alive, he took the news well?” James

“He actually hugged Winn” Alex explained

“Aw man,” Kara groaned “now I owe aunt Astra twenty bucks”

“I heard that, Kara,” Astra called over from the buffet table “you can pay me back in a meal” she added

******

While the turkey finished roasting, everyone kind of paired off. Currently, Lucy and Alex were watching Mrs. Olsen and General Lane who were in deep conversation about the weather in Metropolis versus the weather in National City and if either one was better for your health or not

“You don’t think…?” Alex began

“Don’t think what?” Lucy asked, Alex nodded towards Lane and Mrs. Olsen “oh,” Lucy’s eyebrows rose “I don’t know, I mean they’re both widowed, so I guess it’d be OK, if they…you know,” she shook her head “so, anyway, Astra tells me that you’re getting sued?” Alex sighed and dug out the service notice out of her pocket

“The family of the little grabby jock who CJ threw into the buffet table is now suing us for medical expenses” she explained as Lucy scanned the paper

“Well, it sounds pretty open and shut to me,” Lucy began “you could countersue, say that CJ was merely defending himself from unwanted advances,” she explained “you might still have to pay part of the medical bills anyway, since they’ll probably claim excessive force, but maybe not. I’ll contact some friends I have, see what I can do”

“Thanks, Luce,” Alex sighed “I swear that’s a lot off my mind”

“No problem,” Lucy smiled “oh, hey, have you seen Winn?”

“I think he’s out on the fire escape talking with CJ. Want me to go get him?”

“No, that’s fine”

******

“I’m really freaking out here” Winn groaned as he paced—as much as he could on the limited space—back and forth

“I can see that,” CJ noted “please stop, you’re making me dizzy”

“I don’t know if I can do this,” he moaned “I’m not ‘father’ material”

“Who is?” CJ wondered with a shrug “there isn’t a manual you know? You just…go with your gut”

“Yeah, but what if…?” Winn began “what if I end up like…”

“Like your father?” CJ asked softly, Winn nodded “you won’t,” CJ shook her head “because you have something that your father never had: family,” she stepped over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder “you’ll have Lucy first and foremost, then Aunt Kara and Uncle James, then Mom and Mother, and then me and Alura, even Eliza and J’onn. You won’t become like your father, Winn, because you’ve got _us_ ” Winn stared at her

“How old are you again?” he wondered

“Sixteen”

“You sure? ‘Cause you sound more like you’re forty six right now” CJ smirked

“Mother _does_ say that I have an old soul,” she commented “so, who knows?”

“Hey, you guys, come on, turkey’s ready” Alex called out

“C’mon,” CJ nodded towards the window “let’s eat”

******

Dinner was a pleasant affair, with lots of laugher all around, and Winn had to smile as he thought about CJ’s words, she was right, he did have a family, he did have support, people to help him from slipping under his father had

Family forever, he thought with a smile


	20. New Year, New Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas is over, but New Years is fast approaching

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to Chapter _Twenty_ of Family Matters, hope everybody enjoys it!

******

“OK, that was the school,” Alex announced as she hung up the phone “CJ’s suspension ends after Christmas break”

“Why?” Astra asked “not that I’m complaining, mind you” she added

“Well, according to them, since Christmas break lasts a week and she’s suspendered for a week it already counts as time served,” Alex explained “plus they don’t want her falling behind in the new year, so, she’ll go back to school come January just like all the other kids”

“What about Alura?”

“Don’t know,” Alex shrugged “I’ll have to ask Kara or James,” she frowned at her wife “what are you making?”

“I am trying to make cinnamon buns,” Astra explained as she set the spirals of dough into the baking pan “we spend far too much money on the pre-made variety when it’s much more economical to just make our own,” she added as she slid the pan into the oven “when are we meeting Lucy?” she asked

“Well,” Alex glanced at her watch “she should be in a half an hour” Astra nodded as she washed her hands

“Good” she said as she and Alex both stuck their fingers into their mouths and whistled sharply

“CJ! Breakfast! Come on! Up, up, up!” Alex hollered, there was a distant thump and then CJ shuffled out of her room sleepily

“Guys, please, I’ve asked you not to do that” she grumbled

“And yet, when we don’t, you stay asleep until noon the next day” Astra pointed out cheerily as she guided her down to a chair

“One time, just one time,” CJ grumbled, she frowned and sniffed the air “I smell cinnamon buns” she noted

“They’re not done yet,” Astra told her “and they’re for dessert tonight, _after_ dinner” she warned firmly

“What’s for breakfast?” CJ wondered

“Omelets” Astra answered

“Bacon?” CJ asked

“Omelets”

“Bacon?”

“Bacon”

“Good”

“Bacon that looks and tastes an awful lot like an omelet” Astra added as she began cracking the eggs into the bowl. Watching all of this, Alex just shook her head, smiling as she sipped her coffee, they almost always did this during breakfast, Astra would say what was for breakfast (usually something CJ didn’t like, which wasn’t much given her appetite), CJ would counter with something she did like (which was a lot), Astra would seem to give in, and then end up making what she had planned on serving in the first place.

Alex looked up as the phone rang

“I got it,” she stood up and hurried over “hello?”

“ _Alura’s suspension is over!!!_ ” Kara squealed on the other end

“Kara, that’s great!” Alex grinned “so, what? She’ll just go back in January?”

“ _Yep!_ ” Kara bubbled over the phone “ _and, I know it’s so great, because it’s_ such _a load off,_ ” she continued “ _because, honestly, I don’t know what I’d do if Alura was stuck at home for a month_ ”

“I know,” Alex chuckled, she frowned as a though occurred to her “hey, odd question, but…don’t you and James have work today?”

“ _Yeah, of course, we do,_ ” Kara answered as if it was obvious “ _you know that if she could, Ms. Grant would probably make everyone work during Christmas. Why do you ask? _”__

“Because Astra and I are taking Lucy down to the storage unit today to give her some of CJ’s old stuff,” Alex explained with a groan “we’ll be gone for hours, so we can’t babysit”

“ _Shoot!_ ” Kara spat “ _ugh, and I think Winn has to work today too_ ” she moaned

“So who’s going to babysit that terror you call a daughter?” Alex wondered, she frowned “matter of fact, who’s going to watch CJ?”

“I heard that, Mom!” CJ called out “and I want you to know that I utterly resent the implication!” Alex smirked while Astra playfully smacked their daughter upside the head with the dish cloth she was holding

“ _Well,_ ” Kara sighed “ _they could always come with us?_ ”

“To CatCo?” Alex asked

“ _Well, yeah…,_ ” Kara sighed “ _where else? I mean you’re right, Winn’ll be there, so it won’t be_ too _bad_ ”

“Kara that is the dumbest idea you’ve ever had”

“ _No way! I’ve had_ way _dumber ones!_ ” Kara pouted over the line

“That’s not exactly a point of pride, sis,” Alex sighed, she groaned “well, I guess we have no choice”

“ _Guess not,_ ” Kara sighed “ _so, should I pick her up or do you guys want to drop her off there?_ ”

__“We’ll just drop her off,” Alex sighed “bye,” she hung up and turned to CJ “you heard all that?” the teen nodded as she scowled at her omelet (which did have bacon _in_ it, because Astra couldn’t deny her virtually nothing, but, still, it just wasn’t the same) “so, what do you want to do?” Alex asked_ _

“I think I’ll go see what trouble Ally can get into” CJ nodded

“You know, your sense of humor is kind of sadistic, kid” Alex muttered

******

“OK, ground rules,” James began as the foursome consisting of himself, his wife, his daughter, and his niece climbed into the—thankfully empty—elevator “no loud phone calls, no messing with the building’s Wi-Fi”

“Dad, that wasn’t even me!” Alura moaned

“CJ?” she looked up “you got enough books?” he asked, she nodded and patted the large messenger bag at her hip

“I’ve got the Library of Alexandra in here, I’m good” she beamed

“Nerd” Alura scowled

“Philistine” CJ countered

“I am not!”

“Oh, really? _Spell_ ‘Philistine’ for me”

“F-U-C—”

“Hey, hey!” Kara waved her hands “that’s another thing, _no arguing,_ that goes for both of you!” she groaned as the elevator opened and they stepped out, Kara gripped Alura’s arm tightly “behave” she ordered…

******

“OK, here we are” Alex unlocked the storage unit and lifted the door up, reaching out to flick the lights on. The storage center was one of the more upscale ones in the city, it was clean, well-lit, with good security. It cost a pretty penny, but Astra had insisted that they find a way to store all of the baby stuff safely (had it been up to her she probably would’ve used the DEO's fallout shelter as her storage closet)

“So, what? I just take what I want?” Lucy asked as the trio walked into the crowded unit, box upon box was stacked nearly to the ceiling, making a kind of ‘grand canyon’ of cardboard

“Basically, yeah,” Alex shrugged “we kept all the generic baby stuff here,” she explained “you know, clothes, the crib. All the personal stuff, like photos, is at home in a safe”

“So, go ahead,” Astra encouraged “take whatever you want or need”

“I…uh, I wouldn’t know where to begin” Lucy admitted standing in the middle of the cardboard canyon

“Well, here,” Astra led her over to one stack of boxes “let’s start with clothing and furniture…”

******

Meanwhile, back at CatCo, Winn couldn’t stop staring. He knew he shouldn’t, but he just couldn’t help it. Alura was sitting right there next to Kara’s desk, which was next to Ms. Grant’s office, the Kara that Kara had _left_ because Ms. Grant wanted something, the desk that Alura, who everybody in the family knew had a problem with authority (in that she disrespected it on an hourly, if by the minute, basis) was now sitting at, _alone_

“Winn, you’re staring” he jumped, glancing up at CJ who was sitting by his desk, nose buried in a book (as usual)

“Sorry,” he apologized “just…I mean she’s right there!” he hissed “this is a disaster waiting to happen”

“We should be so lucky” CJ snorted, Winn rolled his eyes and then blinked at the book she was reading, _The Stan Lee Collection: From Daredevil to the X-Men, and Everything In Between_

“Are, are you reading a… _comic book?_ ” he asked

“Yeah,” CJ looked up, blinking from behind her glasses “what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing!” Winn held up his hands defensively, he knew better than to insult CJ’s taste in books (he did that once as a joke when she was about six or so when he’d said that Jane Austin was ‘too girly’ for her and she’d promptly kicked him in the shin) “I just…I don’t know,” he shrugged “you’re always reading things like Jane Austin, so, I guess I always thought that you were the type who kinda looked down on comic books, you know? ‘Cause they’re not ‘real’ literature”

“They’re not,” CJ nodded “not in the way that Jane Austin is, but comics have their own appeal,” she explained as she idly turned a page “and besides,” she added “I’ve always liked Lee’s stuff”

“Everybody does,” Winn nodded, he grinned and leaned forward “so, who’s your favorite character?”

“Peter Parker”

“Really? I’d thought you’d have gone more for the _Fantastic Four_ ” CJ shook her head

“Nah, I get enough of that at home,” she replied “Daredevil’s cool too, though” she added

“Oh yeah,” Winn agreed, he cringed as he saw something out of the corner of his eye “oh no”

“What?” CJ asked, looking up and grinning as she saw Cat Grant making a beeline for Kara’s desk “oh yes!”

“Oh, this is bad, this is very bad” Winn moaned

“No, no, this is good,” CJ grinned “this is very, very good,” she put her book down and leaned forward “got any popcorn?” she asked as Alura looked up as Cat stopped in front of the desk. Cat put a hand on her hip and stared Alura down; Alura simply stared back, unflinching

“Can I help you, young lady?” Cat finally drawled

“I don’t know, _can_ you?” Alura drawled back

Winn cringed as Cat scowled

“Whose offspring is this?” she demanded of the room at large “Ker-iah! Where is Ker-iah?”

“Relax, lady, my mom’s out getting your layouts or latté or whatever the fuck you asked her to get” Alura muttered going back to her phone, Winn had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the downright comical double-take Cat did just then

“Your—your ‘mom’?” she asked, her eyebrows almost crawling off her head

“Ms. Grant!” a breathless Kara rushed over, skidding to a stop at the sight before her “oh,” her head ping-ponged between her daughter and her boss as she visibly cringed “I…see….you’ve met my daughter” she finally mumbled out

“Yes,” Cat nodded slowly “I have. I didn’t realize that she was so…spirited” she remarked, Kara glowered at Alura

“What did you say to her?!” she hissed

“ _Nothing! GOD!_ ” Alura groaned, rolling her eyes “you make it sound like every time I open my mouth something bad will happen!”

“Ms. Grant,” Kara began “I am so, so, so, **_SO_** sorry if she said anything, anything at all, that might’ve---”

“Oh, relax,” Cat waved a hand “people I’ve _liked_ have said far worse to me. My ex-husband for one,” she dismissed “in fact I could probably give your daughter here lessons”

“Would those lessons be on _gramophone,_ grandma?” Alura wondered

“Alura!” Kara looked horrified as Cat slowly smiled

“Oh, I like her,” she nodded “yes, who knew that you and James Olsen could produce… _this,_ it almost makes up for having to put up with sixteen years-worth of your millennial drama,” she nodded to herself as she gathered the stack of papers Kara had dropped onto the desk and carried them into her office “carry on” she called out as the doors shut

“Hey, everything OK?” James asked as he hurried over

“Fine,” Alura answered, nose buried in her phone once more “just met your boss”

“Oh no”

“Its fine, Dad,” Alura waved a hand “she likes me apparently” James stuttered, turning to Kara with wide eyes

“I know, I know,” Kara soothed “I had the same reaction”

******

“OK,” Alex nodded as she loaded the last list into Lucy’s rental (her car was still in the shop) “we’ve got the crib, highchair, clothes, the swing, the bouncy chair—”

“That thing always frightened me” Astra muttered

“Me too, she always went way to high,” Alex muttered as she went back to her list “…and the changing table,” she nodded to herself “OK, that’s it I think”

“Oh, this brings back so many memories,” Astra sighed as she looked at the pile of boxes in the car “wouldn’t it be nice if—”

“No,” Alex sad firmly “one is enough, thank you very much” Lucy laughed

“Thanks you guys,” she beamed “really, you didn’t have to do this”

“Ah,” Alex waved a hand “it was just going to sit here gathering dust,” she dismissed “at least this way it goes to use”

“Exactly,” Astra agreed “and you and Winn will be saving money in the long term because you’ll already have all the necessary equipment needed”

“Geez, you make it sound like having a baby is an ordeal” Lucy complained

“It is” they both chorused as the three of them managed to squeeze into the car

“Hey, you know I think we have time to meet Kara for lunch” Alex commented

“I could eat” Astra nodded

“You always eat,” Alex grumbled "between you and CJ its a wonder I don't starve" she added

“Well, I _should_ eat I suppose,” Lucy nodded “let's do it”

******

"Oh my god, she actually called Cat 'grandma' to her face?!" Lucy laughed

“Yep, she did” Kara nodded as she and Lucy munched on their pasties at Noonan's while Alex and Astra had coffee and tea respectively

“So, are you and James fired yet?” Alex asked, Kara shook her head

“Ms. Grant likes her” she explained

“You’re joking” Astra exclaimed, Kara nodded

“Nope, she called it a ‘refreshing change’ from James and my ‘millennial drama and angst’.”

“Where is James anyway?” Lucy wondered

“Babysitting,” Kara mumbled around a mouthful of sticky bun “so, Lucy,” she began “how’s it feel knowing you’re gonna be a mom?”

“Oh god, I, I don’t know,” Lucy exclaimed “on the one hand I’m excited as hell and at the same time I terrified I’m gonna to screw this kid up royally”

“Welcome to parenthood,” Alex lifted her coffee mug in a mock toast “seriously though, Luce, its going to be one hell of a ride”

“Oh, yes,” Astra agreed “their first word”

“The ‘no’ stage” Kara added

“Their first step” Alex continued

“Learning how to run away from you” Kara added

“Teddy bears, music boxes” Astra added

“Spit up, late-night feedings” Kara added

"Late-night hugs" Astra added

"Colic!" Kara exclaimed "oh god, don't even get me _started_ on colic!"

“You’re not helping our case, little one” Astra pointed out


	21. Fatherly Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James tries to have a talk with Alura. It doesn't go so well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, your eyes do not deceive you, "Family Matters" is finally being updated! Don't worry I'm still working on "The Field Trip", but for now, enjoy! :=)

******

James sighed as he leaned against the balcony at CatCo. Rolling his shoulders to get the kinks out he took a sip from his tea as he stared out at the city. After her lunch break with Alex and Astra, Kara had returned and, so far, James hadn’t seen her since she’d gotten back, since she’d running around like crazy dealing with Cat and various other problems that had cropped up since everybody had come into work still a _little_ (read a lot) hungover from New Years and Christmas.

James was eternally grateful that he and Kara had decided to skip the office Christmas party this year

“Working hard or hardly working?”

James blinked, turning to see Cat leaning in the doorframe, a glass of something in her hand (probably water he decided, since Cat wasn’t stupid enough to drink during office hours)

“Hmm, wow,” she chuckled “that last time I saw somebody with a face like that was my own in the mirror after my divorce was finalized,” she walked over and matched his pose on the railing “it is personnel?” she mused “everything not going well in paradise?” she asked “hmm, now let’s see…it’s not the wife, you and Ker-iah are still sickeningly in love with each other…it’s not the cousin…,” she smirked “ah…the daughter,” she gave James a critical eye “Daddy trouble?” she drawled

James sighed “She’s just been so…angry lately,” he found himself saying “everything Kara and I ask her to do ends in an argument of some kind,” he explained “she wasn’t always like this, just in the last couple of years,” he groaned “I don’t know, maybe it’s…hormones or something” he dismissed

“Or… _maybe_ ….the Daughter of Steel is _scared_ ” Cat suggested

“Scared?” James repeated

“Yes, scared,” Cat arched an eyebrow at him “you _are_ familiar with the emotion, I hope?” she drawled

James didn’t deign to dignify that with an answer and instead asked “Why would she be scared?”

Cat shrugged “It could any number of reasons,” she began, idly taking a sip from her glass “but, I personally am betting on the fact that being Supergirl’s daughter isn’t as ‘cool’ as it sounds,” she shrugged “think back to your own teenage years, not fun were they?”

“No…,” James began, a sinking feeling in his gut “no, they weren’t”

Cat nodded “Now, think about what life must be like for her, she can’t tell her friends what, or _who_ , her mother really is. Even her name, ‘Alura’, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s not English”

“No,” James confirmed “its Kara’s mother’s name”

Cat nodded again

“And am I right in also assuming that she has inherited some of your wife’s….’talents’?” she asked

“She did,” James nodded slowly, sighing as the pieces fell into place “she’s had to hide them too,” he added “ever since she was little” he sighed, thinking back on how Kara had described her own teenage years on Earth, the way she had to hide, to lie, to pretend that she wasn’t anything but ‘normal’, anything but ‘human’

Cat nodded once more “Does she ever complain about her day? About school? Friends?”

“Yeah, sure,” James nodded “but it’s usually just—”

“Stupid kid’s stuff?” Cat interrupted, arching an eyebrow again and making James feel about two inches tall “it may sound stupid to you or me, it may even actually just _be_ stupid, but to her it’s important”

For a long moment neither of them spoke as Cat finished the rest of her glass

“Care for some advice from a fellow parent?” she asked, at his nod, she continued “ _talk to her_ ,” she gave him a rare smile “and, this time, when she talks back, _listen_ ,” she emphasized “you might be surprised at what you’ll hear…”

******

For pretty much the rest of the day, James had basically moped around the office (at least that’s what Winn and CJ called it, and James was inclined to agree). Now, as the sun slowly sank below the horizon and everybody hurried to get finished with their work so that they could all go home, James found himself trying to work up the courage to talk to his daughter. It wasn’t that he was afraid of her, or even intimidated by her, it was the fact that he really, really, _**really**_ wanted to avoid another explosive argument.

‘Talking with Alura’ was usually code for ‘arguing with Alura’, and it usually ended in the same way: Alura would curse, loudly, and then storm off in an offended huff (usually slamming her bedroom door hard enough to actually crack the frame), James would get the urge to punch something, and Kara would, more often than not, end up crying from the stress of it all.

But not this time.

James took a breath, he knew that talking to Alura in public was very probably a Bad Idea™ but if he didn’t do it now, he would probably lose his nerve. So, he squared his shoulders, gathered his courage, and marched out into the bullpen and towards Kara’s desk

“James?” Kara asked, frowning at him “everything OK?”

For an utterly embarrassing and humiliating moment, James simply stood there, as silent as a tree, before he finally found his voice again

“Uh, I need to talk to Alura” he finally said, and again Kara gave him the funny look

“OK,” she nodded as she got up “sure, I have to go check on the printers again anyway” she gave them both a critical eye, clearly sensing something was wrong as she walked away

Leaving him alone with Alura

“Dad?” she prompted “did you want something?”

“Are you…OK?” James began _’great, nice one, Olsen’_ he thought _’real imaginative’_

“Yeah…,” Alura answered slowly “are _you_?”

“I’m fine,” he dismissed, stamping down the urge to berate her for being smart, Alex and Astra may have let CJ get away with it, but not Kara and James “just…,” he sighed “you know that if you ever wanted to talk…about…anything…to me, or, or your mom…you could, right?”

“Yeah…” now Alura was giving him the same funny look that Kara had been. James briefly glanced over to where CJ and Winn were for help, but found that they were gone. Turning back to his daughter, he sighed

“Look, just come with me?” he stood up and held out a hand

“Fine,” rolling her eyes, Alura put her phone away and stood up, steadfastly _not_ taking his hand and following him out onto the balcony “all right, Dad, what’s up? What have I done now?” she sighed

“You haven’t done anything” James assured her

“Well, gee, that’s a first,” she scoffed “usually I get blamed for everything from leaving the toilet seat up to murder”

“That’s not true,” James emphasized, feeling this whole thing starting to spiral out of control “and we don’t ‘blame’ you for everything”

“Could have fooled me”

“All right, see? Right there,” James sighed, feeling a headache coming on “just…why are you so…angry lately?” he demanded “what is wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me is that I HATE MY FUCKING LIFE!!!!!” she suddenly screamed

James reared back, shocked

“What?” he whispered

“I HATE IT, DAD! I HATE IT!” Alura started to frantically pace “it’s so _hard_ , OK? It’s hard! I can’t tell anyone who I really am, half the people in school can’t even say my name right! And CJ is the only one, the _only one_ who even halfway gets it and hell, she fucking _likes_ being like this! A freak!” she suddenly broke down, sinking to her knees, sobbing hysterically, as what was most likely fifteen years of fear and uncertainty finally boiled over, and all James could do was gather her in his arms and hold her close

“What happened?” looking up, James saw a frantic Kara hurry over, dropping down next to them “Alura? Bumblebee? What’s wrong?” she asked, but Alura’s only response was to sniffle and bury herself deeper into James’ embrace. Kara looked up at James, frightened and confused “what happened?” she repeated, and all he could do was shrug, helpless

“Come on,” he gently scooped Alura up, easily lifting her petite form up “let’s get her home”

“Right,” Kara nodded, she disappeared back into the bullpen and ducked into Cat’s office for a few minutes before coming back out, heading for the elevators. A few seconds later, Supergirl landed next to James “let’s go” Kara said, wrapping an arm around his waist and taking off…

******

The flight home was in silence, save for Alura’s now quiet sobs. Quietly slipping in through the window, Kara frowned as James set Alura down on the couch, she had quieted down and now simply lay there, looking small and frail. Still giving her a worried look, Kara ushered James into the kitchen

“What happened?” she asked

“I guess it just finally got to her” he sighed

“What did?”

“Life”

“Well, what do we do?” Kara hissed

James shrugged “Talk to her,” he explained “try to help her”

Making their way back to the living room they both froze at the sight of the now empty couch

“Where’d she go?” Kara wondered

“I’ll check her room,” James declared, making his way over to Alura’s bedroom only to find it empty “she’s not here” he announced as he came into the living room

“Then…where’d she go?” Kara bit her lip as they both looked towards the still-open window with a growing sense of unease

“She wouldn't..." James began

"Call Alex and Astra,” Kara declared “I’m going to go look for her”

“Right” James nodded as Kara opened the window and took off in a gust of wind and ripple of red fabric…


	22. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can they find their lost lamb?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update!

******

Alex’s cell phone went off just as she was pushing the door open, James’ ringtone blaring out

“Here,” she dropped the heavy bag of groceries into Astra’s arms and then dug her phone out “hey, James”

“ _Is Alura there?_ ” he asked

“Uh, no…she’s not here,” Alex answered, confused “why?”

“ _She’s missing_ ”

“What?” Alex asked “what do you mean ‘Alura’s missing’?”

Both CJ and Astra looked up at her sharply

“James, hang on, I’m putting you on speaker,” she held out the phone “now, what happened?”

“ _A mess,_ ” James sighed “ _she had, I don’t know, I guess you could call it a meltdown at CatCo, and then when Kara and I got her home, she just…disappeared_ ,” he sighed “ _Kara’s out looking for her now_ ” he added

Alex looked over to see Astra holding out her hand for the phone

“James? It’s Astra, CJ and I will head to help Kara. In the meantime, you, Alex, and Winn and Lucy began a search on the ground,” she explained “CJ’s already calling J’onn, so he’ll keep an eye out”

“ _All right,_ ” James sighed “ _I’ll call Winn and Lucy_ ”

“We’ll find her, James” Alex assured him…

******

Kara slid to a stop, floating above Market Street as she watched two dark shapes approach her

“What are you guys doing here?” she asked as CJ and Astra glided to a stop in front of her

“James called” CJ answered simply, looking rather ethereal in her black lace dress silhouetted against the clouded moon

“All right,” Kara waved her hands “spread out and find her”

“We’ll find her, Kara,” Astra assured her, and if CJ looked ethereal against the moonlit sky then Astra just looked weird in her ratty jeans and t-shirt “we _will_ ” she emphaisesed just before all three of them took off in separate directions…

******

“Anything yet?” Alex asked over her comm. as she scanned the DEO’s satellite feeds

“ _Nothing,_ ” Astra replied “ _how are things at your end?_ ” she asked

“We’re scanning every sat feed out there, so far we’re not picking up her bioelectric field” Alex explained

“ _That’s not all that surprising,_ ” CJ spoke up, and Alex blinked at the sound of her daughter’s voice coming through on her comm. and not on her cell phone like James “ _we’re both half Human, our bioelectric fields fluctuate on a good day_ ”

“As interesting as that is, CJ,” J’onn began “how exactly did you get on this frequency?”

“ _Easily,_ ” CJ answered with a chuckle “ _come on, J’onn, I could hack the entire DEO mainframe_ in my sleep _if I was so inclined,_ ” she exclaimed “ _hacking the comms., that’s just…child’s play_ ”

J’onn looked at Alex and roll his eyes

“She is far too much like you” he grumbled

“She’s far too much like me and _Astra_ you mean,” she countered as she switched channels on her comm. to James’ cell phone “James? Anything?”

“ _No, nothing,_ ” he sighed “ _damn it!_ ”

“This isn’t your fault, James,” Alex reminded him “I think this ‘meltdown’ was building for a long time” she explained

“ _I found her_ ” Astra suddenly announced…

******

Sal’s Diner was a small, old, 1950s-style diner car. Squeezed between two brick buildings, the diner was in the old Garment District, hailing back from when National City had been the premier textile manufacturer on the West Coast in the late-19th century all the way through the mid-`70s. Of course, the bubble eventually burst, the factories had tried to keep up first by automation, which led to mass unemployment, as thousands of workers came to work one day to find that they had been laid off. Unable to find any new jobs and lacking any other kind of skill set, many of those workers became homeless, which drove the property values down, which meant that buyers refused to buy property and soon, and within less then a decade the entire neighborhood had gone to pot.

Once one of the most prosperous tracts of land in the city, now, it was largely a ghost town, filled with crumbling, abandoned buildings and a few, diehard holdouts, like the aforementioned diner. The diner was small, and mostly filled with a few unsavory characters that left each other alone for fear of getting kicked out into the cold.

Currently sitting in a booth guzzling crap coffee, was one Alura Olsen.

As the bell above the door tinkled, every head in the place looked up, Alura included. She scowled as she saw Astra stride in

“Go away” she said as Astra slid into the booth opposite her

“You know I can’t do that,” Astra said simply, she leaned forward “if you won’t talk to your parents, then talk to me, Alura” she pleaded

“Do you ever hate me?” Alura asked

“What?” Astra asked “no!” she exclaimed “no! What could possibly make you think that?”

“…because I’m named after your sister” was the quiet response

Astra sighed

“Did you know that your parents used to argue almost constantly about your name?” she asked

“No” Alura answered, looking surprised, Astra nodded

“They did,” she confirmed “your mother was afraid of naming you after her mother because of me, she was afraid that she was insulting me, but…in all honestly, I was the one who decided that they should name you ‘Alura’,” she explained “because, however things ended between her and I, I wanted her legacy to continue, I wanted to remember her as she was before the end,” she reached out and took the girl’s hand “you're rather a lot like her, actually,” she admitted “she had that same fire, that same passion, if she didn’t like something she would tell you until she was blue in the face. That’s probably why she was so good at her job”

“Probably” Alura mumbled

“But it’s not just your name, now is it?” Astra guessed “so, what else is bothering you?”

“Just…,” Alura waved a hand vaguely “everything”

“It’s scary, isn’t it?” Astra chuckled “being a teenager,” she explained “all that uncertainly, feeling like you’re an adult and then being _constantly_ reminded that you’re not,” her face suddenly took on a serious expression “feeling like you’re living in the shadow of your more successful, older relation,” she smirked humorlessly “am I right? You feel like you can never do right, CJ does all these incredible things, and you get yelled at”

“She’s just better at _everything!_ And I hate it!” Alura hissed

“Listen to me,” Astra began “for the longest time, I thought like you, I thought that my mothers saw me as ‘less’ than my sister, but…then I realized that they were hard on me because they wanted the best from me, they knew that I could do better and wanted me to realize it too. So, they pushed me, they dangled Alura’s accomplishments in front of me, not as a taunt, as I originally thought, but as something to _aspire_ to, something to strive for. And, I think, that’s what you’re parents want too,” she stood up “you can stay here, or you can come home, your choice,”

Exiting the diner, Astra leaned against the wall and sighed

“Did you get all that?” she asked

“ _Yeah…,_ ” Kara answered breathlessly over her comm. “ _we did. Every word_ ”


	23. Motherly Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara confronts Alura and finally gets answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Twenty-three of "Family Matters", enjoy! :=)

******

Alura sat there, guzzling more crap coffee, for how long she didn’t know. But, eventually, she found herself getting up, paying for the coffee, and shuffling outside the diner, finding Kara waiting for her

“Hey, Mom” she mumbled

“’Hey Mom’, is that all you can say after nearly scaring us all half to death?” Kara demanded, somehow managing to look intimidating even without the cape “you…,” she trailed off with a frustrated huff “you really scared us back there,” she began, she tentatively reached out, brushing her fingers across Alura’s cheek “what’s _wrong_?” she asked “tell me, please?” she pleaded

“… _everything,_ ” Alura whispered “just…everything, Mom”

“Then _talk_ to us, to me,” Kara urged “don’t just…bottle it up inside,” she gently gripped Alura’s arm and tugged her down to sit on the curb “talk to me” she urged

Sighing, Alura slowly and awkwardly sank down next to her

“Its…everything,” she repeated “school, these stupid fucking powers, seeing that damn Crest everywhere I go. I hate it”

“That ‘damn Crest’ is a part of your heritage” Kara pointed out

“Well, maybe I don’t _want_ it!” Alura snapped “did you ever think of that? Huh?!” she stood up and started to frantically pace “I didn’t _ask_ for these powers, OK?!” she snapped “I didn’t ask for this stupid name!”

Kara suddenly lashed out and slapped her

“It’s not ‘just a name’,” she hissed “it was my mother’s name,” she took a harsh breath “and it’s all that’s left of her”

“Well, I didn’t ask for it!” Alura spat, the slap only seeming to anger her further “OK?! I didn’t ask to be born this way! As an outcast!”

“What are you talking about?!” Kara demanded

“ _ **I’M FUCKING GAY GODDAMN IT!!!!**_ ” Alura nearly screamed

Silence reigned as she panted for breath

“I’m gay,” she repeated softly “and I hate it,” she chuckled bitterly “being gay still isn’t all roses and puppies, especially when you’re a teenager,” she spat “being gay and half alien, _and_ half black?” she snorted “you might as well call a lynch mob”

Kara suddenly grinned

“You’re gay,” she muttered, she let out a laugh “oh! My baby’s gay! That’s great!”

“Mom, were you listening? It’s not great!”

“Oh, who cares what those idiots think?” Kara dismissed as she pulled Alura into a tight hug “what matters is what _you_ think,” she pulled back and smiled at her daughter “so? What do you think?” she asked

“I…don’t know,” Alura admitted “ever since I realized it, I’ve been trying to avoid it,” she explained, she chuckled “it…feels kinda good to finally talk about it” she admitted

“See? Talking helps,” Kara grinned “so…is there anyone…’special’?” she asked

“Ew! Mom!”

“Hey, come on, I’m your mom, I’m supposed to ask you things like that”

“Seriously,” Alura began “you’re…OK with this? With me being gay?”

“Of course I am,” Kara dismissed “hey, come on, my sister’s gay”

“That doesn’t mean anything, it’s a lot different when it’s your own kid” Alura pointed out

“True,” Kara admitted, head bobbing like it was on a spring “but, come on, you know me, I accept everyone, and so does your dad”

“Would you still not care if I told you that I…was Muslim too?” Alura began hesitantly

“Nope, wouldn’t care,” Kara shook her head, she frowned “although...," she began "I’d worry a little about that last one though, ‘cause, you know, people are idiots and still think that all Muslims are terrorists, so, you know, just be careful,” she added, she frowned “isn’t there something against being gay in the _Qur’an_?” she asked

“Yeah, but,” Alura shrugged “its also banned in the _Torah_ and you don’t see that stopping Alex”

“No,” Kara laughed “no, you don’t,” she sighed and pulled Alura into a hug “I’m glad you’re OK, Bumblebee,” she whispered “and, hey, about your powers and the Crest? We don’t care”

“You don’t?”

“No,” Kara shook her head “look, we wanted you to know about it, about where you come from, but…,” she sighed “look, if you want to go through the rest of your life not using your powers then that’s fine,” she explained “ _but_ ,” she began “don’t throw away your heritage, all right? That’s the terms of my acceptance of your being gay, you cannot just…ignore where your family came from, all right?”

“All right, Mom” Alura sighed

“All right,” Kara pulled her close and pressed a kiss to the top of her head “come on, let’s you get you home, your Dad’s worried sick...”


	24. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alura comes back home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! :=)

******

“Does CJ know?” Kara asked suddenly as the elevator opened and she and Alura stepped out into the hall “about you…playing for the other team?”

“She does,” Alura nodded as they made their way to the apartment “in fact she’s been trying to get me to tell you guys since last year”

“Is that why you two have been fighting?” Kara asked

“Sorta,” Alura nodded “and, just, you know, the usual teenage shit”

“Don’t curse” Kara reprimanded gently

“Yeah, yeah” Alura countered, but her tone lacked its usual smart-ass quality

“You know, speaking of CJ, I overheard you and Astra talking” Kara began

“And?” Alura asked

“She’s right you know,” Kara began “your Dad and I, we’re not trying to make you feel…less compared to her, but we want you to actually _make_ something of your life,” she explained “we want you to, OK, not be…successful, but, you know, happy and fulfilled,” she sighed “and, OK, yeah, I’ll admit it, maybe we have been, without realizing it, taunting you with CJ’s accomplishments, but…come on let’s face it, she is kind of sickeningly perfect at school”

“I know,” Alura laughed “she is _such_ a _nerd_ ”

“Hey,” Kara gently gripped her arm, stopping her “I can’t promise that your Dad and I won’t keep pushing you to do better, in fact, I’m not going to promise that at all. But, I do promise that we’ll try to be more aware of what we’re saying and how we’re saying it, OK?”

“OK,” Alura nodded “and…I promise, that, I’ll try better this year”

“Good,” Kara grinned “you know, we don’t have to tell your dad tonight, you know?” she pointed out “you can tell him when you want, on your own terms” she reminded her

“Nah,” Alura shook her head “like ripping off a band-aid, just do it fast. Plus you’re shit at keeping secrets, Mom”

“Thanks,” Kara snorted, she squinted at the door “uh…everyone’s here, just so you know”

“Might as well tell the whole gang” Alura sighed as Kara slid her key into the lock and opened the door. Instantly, like a wave, James, Alex, Astra, CJ, Winn, Lucy, and even J’onn all surged forward, surrounding mother and daughter and peppering them with questions

“All right!” Kara whistled sharply “she’s OK”

“What happened?” James asked “why did you just run off like that?”

“Just got…overwhelmed, that’s all,” Alura sighed, she looked from each one of her family members “uh, everyone,” she began “I’ve got something to tell you all,” she took a breath “I’m gay” she confessed

“Finally!” CJ sighed. The others all turned to stare her “what?” she asked “we tell ourselves secrets all the time,” she shrugged “this is not news, people”

“So…wait,” James tuned back to Alura “you…,” he stammered and stuttered “what?” he finally asked, he didn’t seem angry or upset, just so stunned that you could’ve knocked him over with a feather

“I’m gay, Dad,” Alura repeated “look, just,” she held up her hands “can I just go to bed, please? I’m tired”

“Sure” Kara nodded. As soon as Alura’s bedroom door shut, the others all turned to stare at Kara

“Well, this is news” Alex noted

“I know,” Kara sighed “oh, that reminds me, Alex could you talk to her?”

“Like how?” Alex asked

“Just kinda…coach her through it?” Kara suggested 

“’Coach her through it’?” Alex repeated “what am I? The gay guru?”

“Look,” Kara sighed “she’s really feeling conflicted about it, I just don’t want her doing something stupid”

“Got it,” Alex nodded “do you want to me to…?” she nodded towards the hall

“No, no,” Kara shook her head “do it tomorrow, I think she needs some time to process it”

“So does James” Astra noted, nodding to where Jams still stood, opened-mouth and blinking 

“Oh, James, honey, come on,” Kara waved a hand in front of his face “come on, snap out of it”

Slowly, James blinked once, twice, and finally took a breath

“She’s….gay?” he echoed

“I know, I know,” Kara soothed as she gently guided him towards the kitchen “it surprised me too…”

“Well, this is better than Mom’s reaction when I came out” Alex commented as Kara and James disappeared into the relative privacy of the kitchen

“What’d she do?” Winn asked

“Yell mostly” Alex shrugged

“From what she tells me, you yelled right back” J’onn noted

“Yep, that I did” Alex confirmed

“That sounds like you, Danvers,” Lucy noted “god,” she groaned “and there goes my fantasy about motherhood being easy”

“What the hell gave you that idea?” Alex snorted “half the time you’re worried sick about them and the other half you want to strangle them”

“Is that meant to be a comment?” CJ asked “because, if memory serves, I was a fairly well-behaved kid”

“Not unless you count that time you wandered off at the park following a bird” Astra pointed out

“Really? I was _five_ , Mother,” CJ sighed “let it go,” she stood up suddenly “excuse me” she muttered…

******

“So…what do we do here?” Kara asked in a hushed tone as she paced the admittedly small area of the kitchen

“I’m not really sure,” James admitted “I mean, I’ll support her, obviously, but…this is still…”

“…surprising,” Kara nodded “I mean, what are we going to tell your mom? She’s wanted great-grand kids practically since Alura was born”

James winced, while Mrs. Olsen was very accepting of practically everything, it still would be a shock to the old dear to find out that her only granddaughter was gay, thus axing the concept of great-grandkids for the most part

“We’ll have to break it to her gently,” James sighed “no, _I’ll_ break it to her gently”

“Right,” Kara nodded “so…are you…OK…with this?”

“Yeah,” James smiled “it’s…surprising, definitely, but….I’ll still love her, no matter what”

“ _We’ll_ still love her” Kara affirmed, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss…

******

Meanwhile, in her room, Alura gently unrolled the embroidered prayer rug and spread it out on the floor, turning it to face east. She jumped at a familiar crackling sound, scowling as a fiery, crackling bright orange-red humanoid figure suddenly emerged from the surface of the door

“Knock why don’t you?” she snapped as the figure shifted back into CJ

“Ew, god, do you ever clean in here?” CJ wrinkled her nose “ugh! It smells like a locker room in here! The _boy’s locker room_ ”

“Did you actually want something?” Alura scowled

“You know part of being a Muslim is personal hygiene, right? _‘Cleanliness is next to godliness’_ ring a bell?”

“I will throw you through that door, I swear!”

“Look, I overheard you and Mother,” CJ sighed “so…do you hate and despise me?” she asked, she made it sound like a joke, but Alura could hear the undercurrent of hurt in her voice, and felt like an ass as a result

“No,” she answered “I don’t hate you”

“But I do annoy you” CJ pointed out

“You always annoy me”

The girls shared a chuckle

“Look,” CJ began “I’m the older one, I’m supposed to the ‘better’ one, its just nature,” she smiled “and look, it’s not my fault, schoolwork just comes easy to me, if you’d let me help you with your homework instead of snapping at me, then you might be just as good”

“Maybe,” Alura chuckled, and then grunted as CJ suddenly hugged her “oh, geez, what is with you and hugging? You’re almost as bad as Mom” she complained

“I’m glad you’re all right” CJ whispered

“I’m all right, shrimp,” Alura whispered back “I’m all right”


	25. The Birds, The Bees, and the Cat's Out of the Bag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and CJ try to cheer Alura up, Alura let's a secret slip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back! Enjoy! :=)

******

Alura sat up with a groan, jerking back into her pillow as CJ’s face suddenly came into focus inches from her own

“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!” she demanded as she willed her heart to stop trying to escape from her ribcage

CJ grinned as she continued literally floating above her cousin

“You look cute when you’re drooling all over your pillow” she teased

“Go away!”

“Can’t, I’m babysitting” CJ sighed as she dropped down next to Alura on the bed

“They’re letting you babysit without adult supervision?” Alura stated incredulously “is this an episode of _Star Trek_?” she wondered “did I get sucked into a mirror universe and not notice?”

“ _No,_ ” CJ rolled her eyes “Mom’s here with me,” she gave her cousin a pat on the arm “get dressed,” she instructed “we’re taking you to the zoo” she explained as she got up and walked out, leaving Alura alone

“The zoo?” Alura echoed, getting up and hurrying after her cousin “did you say ‘the zoo’?” she asked, finding CJ and Alex in the kitchen making breakfast

“Yeah,” CJ nodded “you know that big place with all the animals in it? The one that _doesn’t_ have a roller coaster?”

“Smart-ass” Alura muttered….

******

The National City Zoo was one of the oldest institutions in the city and only structure to survive the Great Fire of 1900 unscathed, as well as being one of the first zoos in North America to be began a program of treating its animals humanly. Currently it covered six city blocks and boosted more than five thousand exhibits, featuring animals that often couldn’t be found in other American zoos

After taking in the sights (where Alura indulged her secret inner shutterbug, inherited and nurtured by James) and after both she and Alex had to practically pry CJ away from the penguin exhibit (with Alura declaring that her cousin had a ‘problem’ or a ‘fetish for weird little birds’), the trio of settled down at the Zoo’s official restaurant for lunch.

Rather stupidly named the ‘Great Migration’ (with ‘migration’ spelled with ‘ate’), the little café-style place was in the relative center of the zoo and served the usual fast food fair, in addition to more ‘exotic’ offerings, their ‘Safari Menu’ offered visitors items like bison burgers, goat and lamb, or even offal, the goal being so that the visitors could ‘eat as the animals ate’. Unsurprisingly, not many visitors ate from the Safari Menu, with most Americans being turned off by the thought of eating organ meat

Unless of course their names were ‘CJ Danvers’ and ‘Alura Olsen’

“Two steak and kidney pies, two bison burgers with all the fixings and extra fries, two lamb chops, and…a diet coke” CJ requested, giving the casher a sweet, Kara-like grin

“OK,” The young man behind the counter, who looked a little winded and dazed, nodded “I’ll get those out for you”

“Uh, what about them?” CJ nodded to Alura and Alex “they haven’t ordered yet”

The poor man blinked and took a breath “Oh,” he finally said, giving CJ a funny look “OK,” he nodded at Alex “ma’am?”

“Just the double bacon cheeseburger” she requested, breaking two Jewish dietary requirements in one fell swoop

“OK,” another dazed-looking nod “and for you?”

“The same as her,” Alura nodded to CJ “but no onions on the burger”

“O…K,” now looking _very_ dazed, the man punched in the order “eighty ninety-five, cash or---”

“Card,” Alex interrupted, handing over her debit card.

After paying and getting their food, the trio sat down, with CJ and Alura both demolishing their meals almost-instantly

“I really need to do some tests on you two,” Alex decided as she watched the veritable massacre in front of her. It kind of reminded her of when they saw the lions being fed a whole side of cow, except the lions had better table manners “this just isn’t normal,” she added “you’re both half-Human, your metabolisms should _not_ be this energetic” she declared

“Puberty, Mom,” CJ explained as she crammed at least a dozen fries into her mouth at once “we’re teenagers” she added, after (thankfully) chewing and swallowing

“Maybe,” Alex shrugged as she turned to Alura “how are you feeling?” she asked

“Hungry” Alura answered, giving her the kind of look a starving dog might give the hand that was coming to take the bowl away

“Obviously,” Alex didn’t even bother to not roll her eyes “I mean after last night” she explained

Alura paused mid-chew, seeming to give the question serious thought

“Lighter,” she finally answered “less angry”

“Thank god!” CJ exclaimed “I don’t know how much longer I could stand to hear your bitching”

“So, what would have done? Read me to death?” Alura scoffed

“Hey, hey, we’re in public, you two,” Alex warned, she turned back to Alura “you know,” she began “if…there’s anything you ever want to ask me, you can” she offered

“Oh hell, did Mom put you up to this?” Alura demanded “is that what this little Safari is all about?”

“Well, that, and CJ just wanted to go to the zoo” Alex answered

“Nerd” Alura sneered in CJ’s direction

“Philistine” CJ shot right back, but neither of them had that same amount of venom in their voices they had had a few weeks previously

“So?” Alex prompted Alura “you’re going back to school tomorrow, is there anything you want to know?”

“OK,” Alura began with a grin “how many girls have you kissed?”

CJ choked

“Ally! That’s my Mom!” she spluttered

“No, no, its fine,” Alex dismissed after giving her daughter a hard thump on back. Turning back to Alura, Alex answered honestly “three, one of whom is now your aunt,” she grinned “how many have you kissed?” she demanded

Alura blushed

“Ah,” Alex grinned “none, I take it?”

“She’s still a virgin” CJ piped up

“Shut up, you little vampire!” Alura hissed “so what if I am, you’re not anymore—damn it!”

Now it was Alex’s turn to choke

“Damn it, Ally! I told you to never mention that! You swore!”

“I’m sorry!” Alura moaned, hand over mouth “it just slipped out!”

“Well, that's just great, just perfect,” CJ threw her napkin down “I’m going for a walk” she snarled, abruptly turning and stalking out of the café…


	26. A Talk Before the Tigers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! :=)

******

CJ didn’t go far, just to the nearby tiger pit, where she stood looking out over the green area. The tigers either weren’t there or just hiding, but it was nice to look at all the same

“Hey” Alex said as she came over, having easily spotted her daughter amongst the crowd (not many people were wearing black lace dresses)

“Hey” CJ grunted

“You know she didn’t mean to blurt out your secret like that” Alex pointed out

“I know,” CJ nodded “but I’m still pissed”

“I know,” Alex nodded “CJ…,” she began awkwardly “please tell me that you were…safe?”

“Of course, Mom,” CJ rolled her eyes “I remember you and Mother giving me ‘The Talk’,” she added “especially Mother’s very graphic descriptions”

“Yeah, I was really afraid that we’d scarred you for life with that,” Alex muttered “so…was it anyone we know?”

“It was Jeremy, who else?” CJ snorted

“That’s good to hear,” Alex nodded “so…how was… _it_?”

“Awkward, a little embarrassing,” CJ answered, she smirked at her Mom “are you asking me that because you want to know I had a good first time or because you’re worried I might be gay?” she asked

Alex scowled

“We really should have used someone else’s DNA,” she muttered “having a telepathic daughter is creepy," she added "I guess,” she began “I just worry,” she sighed “and after this whole thing with your cousin…” she trailed off “I worry” she repeated

“I know you do,” CJ nodded “but, maybe because both of my parents are women, but I have absolutely zero attraction to my own sex” she explained

“Really? Zero?” Alex asked

“Zero,” CJ nodded “nada, zip, zilch. At the most I might see a girl or woman and think ‘oh, she’s pretty’, or ‘oh, she’s cute’, but that’s about it”

“That’s good,” Alex nodded “I mean not ‘good’, but…,” she scowled “oh, hell, you know what I mean!”

“I do, Mom,” CJ chuckled “I do”

“Good” Alex pulled her into a one-armed hug

“We’re not telling Mother are we?” CJ guessed

“Oh, hell no!” Alex laughed “she still sees you as the six year old who wanted piggy-back rides”

******

Later that night, far after curfew, long after both girls should have been asleep as school started again the next day. CJ’s phone buzzed with a text from Alura

> Sorry I told

It simply read. Smirking CJ called her back, Alura picked up on the first ring

“ _Hey, sorry_ ” she said almost immediately

“It’s fine,” CJ chuckled “had to come out eventually. Although I would have preferred it not be at the café of the Zoo”

“ _My bad,_ ” Alura chuckled “ _hey, listen…,_ ” she began “ _but, uh, since tomorrow’s the start of a new school year and all that shit, uh…if I have, you know, problems with my work, could you…uh…_ ”

“You don’t even have to ask” CJ chuckled

“ _Thanks, shrimp_ ”

“CJ!” Alex pounded on the wall “ _school night!_ Go to sleep!” she bellowed out, at the same time that Kara did to Alura over the phone

“They must be psychic or something” CJ chuckled

“ _Something,_ ” Alura chuckled “ _g’night, shrimp_ ”

“G’night, Ally,” CJ smiled, even though she knew Alura couldn’t see her “love you” she added

“ _Love you too_ ” Alura replied just before they both hung up…


	27. School Daze, Part One: Back in Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triple update! :=)

******

“OK, got your lunch?” Kara asked

“Yes, Mom,” Alura rolled her eyes “you asked me that like twenty times already, jeez!”

“Sorry,” Kara shrugged “just want you to be ready,” she picked her handbag, realized that it was James’ camera bag, put it back down, picked up her handbag, grabbed her travel cup from the fridge, and left her keys inside, and then spent two whole minutes frantically hunting through her bag for them, seemingly having forgotten that she had x-ray vision and could just x-ray the bag to see where the keys were (not) in the bag

In other words, a typical start to the day in the Danvers-Olsen household

Mentally sighing, Alura went to the fridge, retrieved Kara’s keys and a bottle of juice for herself as Kara began hunting on hands and knees on the floor for the keys

“Mom?” Alura dangled the keys by one finger

“Oh,” blushing Kara stood up and took them from Alura “where were they this time?” she asked

“The fridge. _Again_ ”

“Your Mom lose her keys again?” James asked as he came out into the kitchen

“Yeah, I left them in the fridge again” Kara answered

“Uh-oh” James commented

“I know, I do this every time,” Kara nodded “you’d think I—”

“Uh, Mom? Different kind of ‘uh-oh’” Alura nodded to the TV, where a news bulletin was playing, a rouge alien was currently stomping (literally) around the park

“I guess your Dad’s driving you” Kara shrugged, already in her super suit…

******

They were slightly late, traffic was backed up due to the general sluggishness that came from the realization that your vacation was over, and the aforementioned alien attack, which had ended less then five seconds after Kara had arrived (she had already retweeted pictures people had taken of the very short fight to her private, family-only, DEO-encrypted social media and shared it with the rest of family with the hashtag ‘#WorstFighterEVER’)

“OK,” James pulled the car up to the curb “we’re here”

“Yay” Alura muttered sarcastically

“Hey, come on, your first day as a sophomore? That’s a big thing” James reminded her

“If you say so” Alura muttered as she opened her door

“Hey,” James reached out of his window and grabbed her arm “be proud of who you are” he emphasized. Alura smiled slowly, understanding what he meant and actually listening for once

“Thanks, Dad,” she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, before turning and jogging towards the doors “bye, Dad!” she waved enthusiastically as she disappeared among the crowd…

******

As the crowd of students shuffled forward en mass, Alura squeezed past several of them, her petite stature actually helping for once

“Hey, cuz!” CJ quickly slid up next to her, beaming at her

“Hey,” Alura nodded back, but then frowned “no dress today?” she asked, nodding to CJ’s jeans and sneakers

“Soccer tryouts” CJ reminded her

“Oh, yeah, I’d forgotten about that” Alura nodded

“Saw your Mom’s tweet,” CJ commented, holding up her phone “she uploaded a video too,” she explained “but she added cartoon sound effects, so now the whole fights sounds like Wil E. Coyote versus the Roadrunner”

Alura snorted as they both found their lockers, which by pure coincidence were right next to each other

“Sometimes I wonder who’s the fifteen year old in this family” she muttered

“Her,” CJ answered as she opened her locker, stowing her books as the second bell rang “hey, see you in class?”

“Oh, sorry, I’m not taking home ec this year” Alura apologized

“Aw, I’m gonna miss you,” CJ pouted playfully “you’re other classes still the same?”

“Yep”

“Cool,” CJ shut her locker “well, we’d better go” she declared…


	28. School Daze, Part Two: Alura Who?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here's a short "Family Matters" update, enjoy! :=)

******

“…so, if you divide the denominator…”

Alura tapped her pencil against the edge of her desk, not really paying attention to the teacher or the lecture he was giving, math class was boring as hell in her opinion. Like many people, she hated school and schoolwork, but thanks to those wonderful Kryptonian genetics, managed to make up for not paying attention. Much to the great confusion and frustration of her teachers, who were left to wonder at how one of the school’s biggest slackers could also score just under ninety-eight percent on her calculus test without even trying?

Her natural athleticism (again, thanks to those Kryptonian genetics) made it so that every coach the school had urged her—practically _begged_ her on bended knee—to try out for a team, any team, even the chess team. Her striking looks (this time as a result from her mixed race background and, yes, those pesky Kryptonian chromosomes again) made her the beauty idol of many freshman girls (even though she usually dressed like a tomboy times ten).

The freshmen all idolized her, seeing her as God incarnate in some ways, the juniors and seniors all wished that they had been as cool as she was when they were freshmen, and sophomores weren’t sure what to make of her, but generally cringed and whispered among themselves as she passed in the hallway. The fact that she had zero friends (even CJ had more, which was saying something) and was generally a loner only added to the mystery of ‘Who Was Alura Olsen?’.

Alura herself, saw none of this affection/idolization, she had absolutely no clue that she was seen as God on Earth to the freshmen, nor was she what you could call ‘nice’. God help the unfortunate, moronic soul who dared to tell her _’But girls can’t do (insert item that Alura could do with one hand tied behind her back)’_ , and if you insulted or bugged CJ in her presence…well, the end result wouldn’t be pretty. And it was these little details that in some ways made her even more beloved, because that little bit of stubbornness, that bit of anger and rage at the world, made her relatable, made her human

Mostly Human that is

“Ms. Olsen”

Alura looked up, blinking as Mr. Crenshaw loomed over her desk, the rest of the class started snickering and giggling as Alura scowled and sat up straighter

“Ms. Olsen if you had been paying attention, you’d know that I’d called your name twice,” Mr. Crenshaw drawled “now,” he gestured to the white board “let’s see if you can solve this equitation”

Alura leaned past him, giving the complicated equation a quick glance

“Pi over four” she said simply

“Now, see,” Mr. Crenshaw sighed “if you’d been paying…attention…,” his eyes went wide as he turned to face the board “that’s….that’s…right” he exclaimed

The class gasped almost as one and began to whisper as the bell for lunch rang and Alura’s uncanny mathematical talents were forgotten as scores of hungry teenagers—Alura included—rushed to the door en mass…

******

Exiting the room and finding her locker, Alura frowned as a familiar purple-haired figure taped something to the front of her locker. Ever since middle school, CJ had developed an odd habit of taping little inspirational notes to Alura’s locker, usually quoting some famous author, and then adding her own two cents of wisdom. Smirking, Alura plucked off the little folded square of paper with her name on it and opened it

**_”Such a thing is the human race. Sometimes it seems a pity that Noah didn’t miss the boat”_ **  
**\--Mark Twain**

Was today’s note. Underneath that, in CJ’s familiar, loopy handwriting was:

_But don’t let it get you down, cuz_

Smirking, Alura carefully tucked the note away in her pocket and hurried to lunch….


	29. School Daze, Part Three: The Name of the Game is Soccer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short double update! Enjoy! :=)

******

CJ took a nervous breath as she took the stairs down the bleachers two at a time. The girl’s soccer team, Otto Binder High’s pride and joy, were in the middle of their warm ups, already CJ could see a few other girls nervously waiting on the sidelines, all of them eager to tryout, and hopefully, make the team. Of course, CJ knew, even if she did make it onto the team, there was no guarantee that she would ever get to play, chances were that she’d spend the rest of the year (if not the whole season) as a benchwarmer

She felt her gut twist uncomfortably at that thought. Or maybe that was just because she’d skipped lunch to make it to the tryouts, a decision that her metabolism was now violently—and loudly—protesting. Squaring her shoulders and mentally reminding herself that her Mother was a former general, CJ took a breath and cleared her throat, waving to get Coach McKenna’s attention

“Help you hon?” Coach McKenna asked, taking a breath CJ nodded

“I’m here for the tryouts” she explained, Coach McKenna nodded

“You’re…Danvers, right?” she asked, CJ nodded “OK, just take a seat” she gestured to the bench where CJ plunked down next to two other girls she didn’t recognize. She jumped at a sudden gust of wind blew by, a paper airplane suddenly landed at her feet. Frowning, she bent down and picked it up, unfolding it and smirking at what was written inside

**_”Never give up—never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except in convictions of honor and good sense”_ **  
**—Winston Churchill**

Smirking, CJ looked up at the top of the bleachers, seeing Alura sitting up top, munching on a sandwich. Grinning, CJ waved, Alura smirked and nodded back as Coach McKenna blew her whistle

“OK, Danvers, show us what you got” she called out. Getting up, CJ quickly tucked the note in her back pocket and walked up to the ball with far more confidence then she actually felt. It wasn’t that she was afraid she couldn’t do it, in fact it was the exact opposite, being able to make a perfect goal one after another wasn’t as fun as it sounded. Lining up to the ball, CJ took a breath as four of the team’s player’s lined up in front of her, playing the part of the opposing team

Coach McKenna blew her whistle and CJ lightly kicked the ball forward, zigzagging in and out between the other players, aiming for the goal. Suddenly one girl jumped out in front of her

 _’Don’t phase,’_ Alex’s voice suddenly warned her in her head _’keep your head’_. Biting back the now-natural instinct to phase, CJ instead zigzagged to the side, giving the ball a good kick. The ball arced forward, the goalie lunged, the ball just skirting past her hands to hit the net.

Coach McKenna blew her whistle again

“OK,” she clapped her hands “congrats, Danvers,” she smiled as she shook CJ’s hand “you’re on the team”

“Yes!” grinning madly, CJ turned and eagerly waved to Alura, who smirked and waved back...

******

“ _You got on the team?_ ” Alex asked over the phone a few minutes later “ _honey, that’s great!_ ”

“I know, right?!” CJ grinned, even though Alex couldn’t see her “my face hurts from smiling”

“ _I’m proud of you, munchkin,_ ” Alex chuckled “ _but, uh, you didn’t…?_ ”

“Use my powers?” CJ rolled her eyes “no, Mom, just old-fashioned footwork,” she looked up as the bell rang “oh, there’s the bell, gotta go. Love you, bye”

“ _Love you too_ ” Alex chuckled…


	30. Blabber Mouth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex needs to tell _somebody_ about this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short super sisters moment, enjoy :=)

******

Alex took a breath, watching Kara eat always did leave her breathless (more from shock at how much the girl could eat), but this it was more from nerves, because she _needed_ to tell someone, and telling Astra would only result in an argument, and since she and Kara hadn’t really had any sister time together since before CJ got arrested, today’s ‘sisters only’ lunch seemed like as good a time as any to talk to her.

“Alex?” Kara stopped eating for a second (which was incredible in and of itself) and looked up at Alex curiously “you OK?” she asked

Alex took a breath, just like ripping off a Band-Aid, she told herself, just do it fast

“I just found out that CJ’s not a virgin anymore,” she blurted out

In retrospect, maybe she shouldn’t have ripped off that particular band aid quite so fast

“Damn it, Kara, chew your food!” she snapped as she leaned over and gave the coughing Kryptonian a hard thump on the back. Sucking in a deep gulp of breath, Kara sat up

“What?!” she demanded

“Yeah, yesterday at the zoo, she and Alura were bickering again, and Alura just blurted it out by accident”

“Whoa, whoa, wait a minute, _Alura_ knew?!” Kara demanded, a look of total and utter horror crossed her face “oh my god! _Please_ tell me the she isn’t…you know…already?”

“Relax, according to CJ, your daughter’s virginity is still intact” Alex told her “now, can we get back to my problem?”

“Right. Sorry,” Kara shook her head “when did this happen? And, you know, with who?!”

“Apparently, it was with Jeremy”

“Ewww,” Kara pulled a face “isn’t he that creep who called Astra a ‘babe’?”

“No, that’s his brother, Mike,” Alex explained “and besides, I wouldn’t let him anywhere near CJ, he’s twenty-three for one thing”

Both sisters frowned, each vocalizing the same thought

“ _Ewww!_ ”

“So, I mean, how’d you take it?” Kara asked, going back to demolishing her stack of sticky buns

“I’m…OK with it,” Alex sighed “what worries me the most is Astra”

“Ooh,” Kara cringed “yeah…that’s not going to end well,” she grinned and held up a hand “not it!” she declared

“Chicken” Alex pronounced

“Maybe,” Kara nodded “but I’m a _smart_ chicken who doesn’t want her feathers plucked once Aunt Astra finds out that her baby’s a woman now”

“Great, pass me the buck why don’t you?” Alex grumbled

“Well, _yeah_ ,” Kara nodded “you’re her wife, this is part of your _job_ ”

“I’ll remind you you said that after you find out that Alura isn’t a virgin anymore”

“Ohh! Alex!” Kara swatted her on the arm “oh, god, oh, god! Ew, ew, ew! I’m seeing it! I’m seeing it! Why did you say that?!!”


	31. School Daze, Part Four: Idiot Central

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're baaaack! Enjoy! :=)

******

CJ frowned, squinting as she held the fine-tipped brush up to the miniature figure in her hands, scowling as the paint dripped down the length of the brush to run down onto her hands

“Damn,” she muttered, setting the brush down and dabbing at her hands with a napkin, which did nothing to sop up the paint “well…that’s great” she muttered. Sighing, she wiped off the brush and set it back in the case, along with the recycled baby food jars of acrylic paints, frowning at her uncompleted miniature figure.

She had a free period between Biology and History, and usually used that time to lounge around the cafeteria (which also doubled as an assembly hall), and typically either read a book or altered her small collection of _Dungeons & Dragons_ figures.

Winn was to blame for her introducing her to the game years ago (along with virtually every other ‘nerdy’ thing in existence), and continued to happily feed her appetite for all things nerdy, which was why she had a poster for _Star Trek, the Original Series_ (original 1973 mint condition, framed, and very valuable) on her bedroom wall, instead of the latest teen heartthrob (or, if you were Alura, a poster of Angelina Jolie).

Now in her late-teens, CJ and a group of friends usually gathered every few weeks at CJ’s place—mostly due to Alex and Astra’s continuing fear that she would either hurt someone or expose her half-Kryptonian heritage—to play _D &D_. But, today, her usual group of friends—all of whom were ‘misfits’ and ‘outcasts’ in the social hierarchy of high school (and included her boyfriend, Jeremy)—were not here.

Sighing, she put her paint case away and dug her lunch out of her bag, smirking at the fact that Astra had packed her another homemade bento box. For some reason, when it came to making food, Astra had developed a fascination with Japanese cuisine, and so CJ often had a bento box-style lunch in her bag (both she and Alura were given bagged lunches for several reasons, chief among them being that neither of their parents could afford to spare the amount of lunch money it would take to feed them both five days out of the week. Another reason, was Astra and Kara’s insistence that the school lunches were packed with preservatives and chemicals, despite the school’s claims that their lunches were as healthy as possible).

“CJ” looking up, CJ waved as Jeremy came over and sat down next to her

“Hey” she grinned, Jeremy smiled and ducked his head shyly in response, still not quite able to look her in the eye. She liked Jeremy (she’d have to, obviously, otherwise she wouldn’t be dating him), but part of the reason she was dating him was his personality, he was sweet, gentle, there wasn’t a mean bone in his body, the only thing that CJ didn’t like was his shyness, while she herself could be a bit unobtrusive, she wasn’t shy, she simply wasn’t outgoing, Jeremy by contrast, still couldn’t look her in the eye most days, despite the fact that they’d both seen each naked (and did more than just look). Twice

“So,” Jeremy began “I heard that you made the soccer team”

“I did,” CJ beamed “so, congrats, you are now dating a jock” she grinned, Jeremy chuckled as he pulled a nearly-identical paint case out of his bag

“Hey, CJ, hey, Jeremy,” without warning, Alura suddenly dropped down next to CJ and began eating from her overflowing lunch tray. She frowned at CJ “you’re purple” she noted, nodding at CJ’s hair, which was a uniform, dark lavender in color

“And ‘hello’ to you too,” CJ scowled “please, by all means, join us” she added sarcastically “and, you know, maybe… _chew?_ ” she hinted as Alura began cramming an entire handful of French fries into her mouth. CJ shook her head “god, you’re an animal” she complained

“And you’re a nerd,” Alura countered, pausing mid-chew to smile sarcastically at CJ “bygones?”

“Ugh, I liked you better when you were an embryo” she countered

Alura, clearly unable to come up with a retort to that one, merely flipped her off instead

“Are…are you two…always like this?” Jeremy suddenly spoke up

“Usually,” Alura answered, she gave him a rare, sympathetic smile “you sure you want to date her?” she asked, nodding at her cousin “’cause it’s a package deal, I come with her”

“And, unfortunately, you can’t stamp ‘return to sender’ on her forehead and be done with her” CJ added

“If I wasn’t too busy eating I’d knock you across the room for that” Alura spat, her insult losing its touch due to the mouthful of hamburger she was currently massacring

“Yeah, yeah,” CJ muttered distractedly “hey,” she pointed at a young girl shyly shuffling into the room “either of you guys know her?”

“No, not me,” Alura shook her head “Jer?” she asked, nodding towards Jeremy, who shook his head “must be new” Aluar declared with a shrug.

Standing stiffly in the middle of the room, the newcomer looked like she wasn’t sure whether to try and find a place to sit or sink into the floor. Frowning, CJ waved at the newcomer

“Hey, over here,” she called out, the girl looked up “come sit with us,” CJ encouraged with a smile. Still looking like she thought that sinking into the floor was preferable, the newcomer quietly shuffled over and sat down on CJ’s other side “hello,” CJ greeted “I’m CJ, this is Alura,” Alura gave a wave “and this is Jeremy,” Jeremy gave a shy wave “what’s your name?”

“C-c-c-cassie” the girl stammered, apparently finding the surface of the table incredibly fascinating as she refused to meet anyone’s eye

“Cassie, that’s pretty” Alura commented

“Th-thanks,” Cassie nodded nervously “I…like your name,” she stammered out “’Alura’, it’s…pretty…too”

“Thanks,” Alura nodded “it’s an old family name, named after my grandmother”

“So, Cassie, are you new here?” CJ asked, Cassie nodded

“Just moved here from Opal City” she replied, sounding slightly more confident

“Wow, that’s some distance,” Jeremy commented “Opal City’s out in the Midwest isn’t it?” he asked, Cassie nodded

“So, what brings you out here to National?” CJ asked

“Work,” Cassie replied “my, my Mom…we move around a lot”

“What does she do?” Alura asked

“I…don’t know, really,” Cassie shrugged “some, something for S.T.A.R. Labs, I think,” she explained as the bell rang, and Cassie all but bolted out of her seat “I have to go” she mumbled

“Me too,” Jeremy added “bye, CJ, bye Alura”

“Bye” CJ waved to them both as they swiftly left. Now alone with Alura she turned to her cousin

“What?” Alura groaned “what’s going on in that penguin-obsessed head of yours?”

“She likes you” CJ grinned

“Who? Cassie?”

“No, Jeremy. Duh! Of course Cassie,” CJ rolled her eyes “she _likes_ you,” she repeated “a lot” she added

“Really?” Alura asked “that, that, that… _mouse?_ ”

“Hey, don’t dis mice,” CJ admonished “we’re all descended from mice,” she chuckled “I mean it,” she insisted “she was looking at you the whole time”

“Probably because she was terrified of me” Alura grumbled with a scowl

“Hey, come on, don’t be so hard on yourself,” CJ admonished “you have a _lot_ of redeeming qualities. You’re confident, intelligent—when you want to be—pretty…if you’d wear something other than ripped jeans. Trust me, a lot of people--a _lot_ —would kill to date you,” she grinned “you should ask her out” she suggested

“What?!” Alura hissed, suddenly grabbing a fistful of CJ’s t-shirt and yanking her forward so that they were almost nose-to-nose “are you fucking _crazy?_ ” she hissed

“What’s the worse that can happen?” CJ shrugged calmly

“A lot!” Alura hissed “do you _know_ what the rest of these… _idiots_ will _do_ to me if they find out that I’m gay?”

“Probably not even blink,” CJ shrugged “you _do_ kinda have that whole ‘butch lesbian’ thing going on, what the hair and all” she nodded up at Alura’s, short, close-cropped hair, which at times made people mistake her for a man from behind and at a distance. But only from a distance, once up close, even from behind, there was no mistaking that she was most decidedly female.

“Wrong!” Alura hissed “they’ll fucking _crucify_ me. And that’s _after_ they find out that I’m half alien and a Muslim”

“God, what is up with you?” CJ rolled her eyes “I don’t ever remember you being this much of a drama queen”

“Idiot!” Alura hissed, releasing CJ and going back to demolishing her food

“Drama queen” CJ countered as she opened her bento box….


	32. School Daze, Part Five: Come Fly With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update!

******

Alura scowled as she stomped into History Class, CJ’s words running around in her head like a dog chasing its tail. Could it _really_ be that simple? Could she simply walk up to Cassie and go _’Hey, you want to catch a movie sometime?’_ and _not_ get laughed at or otherwise embarrassed? She shook her head. It could not possibly be that simple, it just couldn’t be, things were never ‘simple’ in this family, crazy? Yes, _weird?_ You bet your bippy, but never, never, _**never**_ ‘simple’.

Sighing, she dropped her bag down under a desk and sat down, blinking as she suddenly found herself sitting right next to CJ (the girls shared several classes), who beamed at her, Alura simply scowled in reply and decided to focus on the Battle of Hastings for once, so she wouldn’t have to feel CJ’s judging look…

******

History was the last class for the day, so when the bell rang, the halls all but exploded with anxious teenagers all eager to get to their lockers and then get home

“You’re a chicken” CJ declared as she came up to her own locker, which was next to Alura’s

“Beg pardon?” Alura asked

“She’s right there,” CJ pointed to where Cassie was unloading her own locker “all you gotta to do is ask” CJ added

“Fuck you” Alura spat as she slammed her locker shut

“Chicken” CJ declared quietly…

******

It was raining as the students filled out of the building, a sudden, freak winter rainstorm appearing above the school, causing many students to either rush back inside, or huddle under the overhang in a loose clump. CJ and Alura were part of the latter, and now huddled under the overhang, both texting their respective parents about the storm

“Where did this come from?” Alura wondered “it was bright and sunny all day”

“Who knows,” CJ shrugged “with all the holes in the ozone layer and the amount of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere creating a greenhouse effect, the weather’s been unpredictable for decades”

“Thank you, Bill Nye” Alura spat sarcastically as the rest of the clump braved the rain and rushed for the buses or their parents cars, leaving the girls more or less alone. A honk caught their attention and they both looked up to see Lucy waving from a car on the curb as she got out, opening a rather limp-looking umbrella and huddling under it

“Oh, I’m going to get purple hair dye all over my clothes” CJ moaned as Lucy jogged over to them

“Welcome to sunny California” she grinned

“Hi, Lucy” Alura grumbled as she handed each girl an umbrella

“What’s with her?” Lucy asked CJ

“Ugh, don’t poke the bear, Lucy,” CJ replied as she suddenly nudged Alura “hey, isn’t that Cassie?”

“Yeah” Alura nodded as they turned to see the other girl huddled under the overhang

“Friend of yours?” Lucy asked

“Just met her,” CJ replied “transfer student”

“Ooh, rough,” Lucy winced “been there, done that”

“I wonder where her ride is” CJ wondered

“Maybe she takes the bus” Alura suggested

“The last one just left,” CJ replied, she frowned before she hurried over to Cassie “hi,” Cassie jumped “sorry. Uh, we met earlier today, I’m CJ?”

“Oh, hi,” Cassie muttered “I’m just…waiting for my Mom” she explained

“You do that a lot, don’t you?” CJ guessed, her natural, Martian empathic ability allowing her to get a sense of resignation and depression from the other girl

“Some, sometimes she’s late” Cassie dismissed, but even without her empathic sense, CJ could see the sadness and loneliness in her face

“Listen,” CJ began awkwardly “you can say no, but…do you want to come stay with us?” she offered “my parents usually work late, so they won’t mind, but…it’ll be dry,” she offered with a shrug “you can text your mom with the address and my parents cell numbers”

Cassie bit her lip before slowly nodding

“OK”

CJ chuckled “Good,” she offered an arm “come on…”


	33. Happiness is a Goth named 'CJ'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CJ tries to play matchmaker, Astra contends with a pest, and Cassie makes an assumption

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back! Enjoy! :=)

******

CJ smirked as she watched Alura and Cassie in the backseat, both of whom were clearly uncomfortable being in such close proximity to each other. Alura already had a pair of earbuds firmly planted in her ears and was toying with her phone, while Cassie seemed to be watching the patterns the rain made on the windows

“Not very subtle” Lucy noted suddenly

“Ally doesn’t go for subtle” CJ replied, without bothering to ask what Lucy was talking about, Lucy had probably seen it too.

CJ frowned at Cassie in the rearview mirror, Cassie who seemed to have made it a mission to be as unassuming as possible, from her long, straight, dirty blonde hair, to her drab, sensible, shoes, pants and sweater—all of which were in various shades of brown—Cassie Sandsmark it seemed had no intention of being noted, hell with that outfit she might actually be able to camouflage herself if she stood against a similarly-colored wall and held still.

But she definitely had eyes for Alura, CJ could see that, and CJ wanted Ally to be happy, she remembered the stress Alura had gone through after realizing that she was gay, the way she had sworn CJ to secrecy, how she had begged— _begged_ —CJ not to tell anyone, how they had both seen and heard how the other students—in particular the popular girls—threw around words like ‘fag’, ‘dyke’, and ‘lebso’ without thinking, hurling insults at anyone who didn’t conform, not caring if it was true as long as it _hurt_

And did hurt, CJ had a thick skin, but even she had fumed at some of the insults, in particular those directed at her mothers. Smiling at the thought of her mother, CJ pulled out her phone and dialed Astra’s cell…

******

Meanwhile, Astra herself frowned as she peered under the couch, jerking up at a nearby scurrying sound, scowling as she did. Since becoming parents, she and Alex had both reduced their time at the DEO in order to care for their bouncing baby Kryptonian.

J’onn had been very agreeable to the idea and gave them both plenty of options, including each of them getting an afternoon off once a week, as well as other options such as half days (of course, if something happened, like say a Daxamite fleet invading again, well, then of course they’d both have to come in).

Today was Astra’s afternoon off, usually she used that time to go home and tidy up the place, including preparing or setting up for dinner.

But not today.

No, today she was hunting for a very elusive, and very annoying, prey which had taken it upon itself to scurry and slither through the apartment with an air of superiority and general smugness that annoyed Astra to no end.

A clatter caught her attention and she watched, perturbed, as several books rattled and fell off the shelf as something noisily moved behind them with an alarming amount of speed. Speeding over herself, she swept several books aside in a burst of superspeed, thrusting out a hand and firmly, but not _too_ strongly, gripping her prey around the middle

“Aha!” she declared triumphantly as the animal squirmed in her grip futilely “ _you_ are going _back in your cage!_ ” she declared as the albino ferret wriggled and squirmed and even tried to bite at her hands (which, of course, did nothing expect maybe hurt its teeth) as she carried it over to CJ’s room and deposited it back in its cage, ensuring that the door was securely locked this time as her cell phone rang

“ _Hi, Mother_ ” CJ chirped on the end

“Hello, dear,” Astra smiled at her daughter’s voice, feeling a familiar sense of both pride and awe that she had actually helped create this wonderful creature “Flower escaped again” she announced

“ _Oh…damn,_ ” CJ sighed “ _I locked her cage_ ” she insisted

“I know,” Astra sighed “but somehow she keeps escaping,” she ran a hand through her hair and then grimaced as she realized she still had ferret fur on her hands “remind me why exactly we got you a ferret as a pet?” she wondered

“ _Because nobody’s ever home long enough to take care of a dog?_ ” CJ replied “ _besides, ferrets are cute_ ”

“They’re weasels,” Astra objected, repeating what Alex had said about four years ago when CJ had announced her suggestion for a pet. She sighed “never mind,” she dismissed “I take it that Lucy’s already picked you up from school?” she asked. One of the major advantages about having such a tight-knit family was that everybody pitched in when it came to taking care of the girls, no questions asked.

When the girls had started school, everyone had just naturally shared in the duties of picking them up and dropping them off without question—which was helpful as both of their parents worked—ensuring a tradition that, no matter what, _someone_ would be able to pick them up from school and keep an eye on them until their respective parents could come and retrieve them at the end of the day. As a result, from their first day of kindergarten to now, the girls often spent the afternoons after school either at Alex and Astra’s place, Kara and James’, Winn and Lucy’s, or—even—at the DEO (provided that J’onn was in the mood to play grumpy uncle, which he usually was), resulting in the girls tight bond to this day.

“ _Yep,_ ” CJ replied “ _listen,_ ” she began “ _Ally and I are bringing a friend over, that OK?_ ”

Astra frowned, stamping down her first instinct, which was to say no “That’s fine,” she said instead “when will you be here?”

“ _Uh, not sure,_ ” CJ replied “ _Lucy took one of Winn’s shortcuts apparently_ ”

Astra grimaced “You’ll gone for hours then,” she sighed, adjusting her hearing she could now hear Lucy muttering darkly under her breath about Winn and men in general “all right,” Astra sighed “I’ll see you…whenever”

“ _Kay, love you, Mother!_ ” CJ chirped

“I love you too, my little star” Astra smiled

******

Thankfully, Lucy found a solution to Winn’s shortcut, namely she called James and he gave her proper directions, and so CJ, Alura, and Lucy and Cassie all filed in to the apartment only about fifteen minutes after CJ’s call to Astra

“Well, this is it,” CJ announced “you’re welcome to stay as long as you like”

“Who can stay as long as they like?” Astra asked as she poked her head out of the kitchen, looking utterly confused as she zeroed in on Cassie, who—once again—looked like she wanted to sink into the floor

“Sorry,” CJ cringed “Cassie, this is my mother,” she introduced “Mother, Cassie Sandsmark”

“Hello, Cassie,” Astra held out a hand, which Cassie awkwardly took and lightly shook “I’m Astra,” she introduced herself “would you like something to drink? Eat?” she offered, nodding towards the kitchen, unsurprised as CJ and Alura both made an almost-automatic beeline for the fridge

Cassie shook her head, still refusing to meet Astra’s eyes “No,” she said, and then, almost as an afterthought, added “thank you, ma’am”

“Its just ‘Astra’,” Astra dismissed “only people who work for me call me ‘ma’am’,” she explained “and if you do get hungry, you’d better hurry, those two will eat everything in sight” she added, nodding towards CJ and Alura who were now making a beeline for the couch, arms laden with virtually every kind snack they could carry without arousing suspicion that they weren’t completely Human

“Well,” Lucy spoke up “as much I would ‘love’ to see CJ and Alura massacre those snacks, I need to get back to work,” she headed for the door “I’ll tell Alex about your guest here if I see her” she called out as she slipped out

“Very good,” Astra replied “bye, Lucy,” she waved, as did the girls, while Cassie continued fidgeting “so,” Astra began in the sudden silence “Cassie, care to watch some TV?” she offered, holding up the remote, Cassie shrugged “all right,” Astra turned on the TV, switching to the news out of habit “CJ, I hope that you’re going to do your homework once your done eating?”

“Did it the car” CJ replied as she tore into a bag of chips

“Alura?” Astra questioned

“Ditto” Alura replied around a mouthful of crackers

Astra grimaced “Chew your food,” she groaned as she settled down in one of the recliners, frowning at Cassie, who still stood, stock-still, in the middle of the room “Cassie? You can sit down you know,” she chuckled “this isn’t a museum,” she added. As she watched, Cassie, _very gingerly_ awkwardly sat down next to Alura, while CJ got up and headed back into the kitchen, presumably to get more snacks.

“So, Cassie,” Astra began “tell us about yourself”

“Not much to tell,” Cassie shrugged “my Mom’s an archeologist, so we move around a lot” she explained

“An archeologist?” CJ echoed as she came out of the kitchen, arms full of, yes, more snacks “that’s cool,” she noted as she sat down on Alura’s other side, sitting as far away as possible “did she find anything interesting? Like a lost city or something?”

Cassie shook her head “No, nothing like that, mostly just…bits of pots and stuff”

“Still cool,” CJ noted “oh, Mother, do you mind if I go visit Winn?”

“Now?” Astra asked

CJ nodded “Please?” she turned on the puppy dog eyes, which not even Astra was immune to

“Oh…all right,” she sighed “do you want me to drive you?”

“Nah,” CJ shook her head “I’ll just walk” she replied, which was usually code for ‘fly’

“Hmm,” Astra scowled “be careful,” she warned as CJ beamed “and wear a jacket, in case you haven’t noticed it’s raining” Astra added as CJ gave her a quick kiss and then dashed out the door

“I hate her sometimes” Alura muttered darkly

“Leave her be,” Astra gently admonished as she stood up “she’s just---”

“…special,” Alura finished with an eye roll “I know”

“Watch your tone,” Astra warned “you may not be my daughter, but that’s doesn’t mean that I’ll tolerate that while you’re under my roof”

“Maybe, maybe, I should go” Cassie moved as if to stand up

“Oh, no, no, please,” Astra gave her a smile as she gently stopped her “don’t mind us, we do this all the time, no harm done”

“I don’t want to upset CJ’s girlfriend” Cassie objected

Alura choked

“Girlfriend?!” she demanded….


	34. Hero Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short double update! Enjoy! :=)

******

As CJ got off the elevator at CatCo, she stamped down the tide of nervous energy she felt bubble through her

 _’You took on Non, a Daxamite probe, and a Cheetah-Woman,’_ she reminded herself _’you can do this’_ she told herself

“Hey, CJ!” she blinked as Kara grinned at her

“Hi, Kara” she ginned back at her aunt

“What brings you by?” Kara asked

“Uh, I’m looking for Winn,” CJ replied “he around?”

“Uh, Winn,” Kara glanced around “oh, yep, right there, talking with…ooh, Jake” she grimaced

“Something about Jake I should be concerned about?” CJ wondered, Kara grimaced

“He crashed the entire system over Christmas because he downloaded porn” Kara explained

“Ew,” CJ commented “was it ‘good’ porn?” she wondered

Kara grimaced again “No,” she cringed “no, it wasn’t”

“Didn’t think so,” CJ noted, she gave her aunt a smile as she walked over towards Winn “oh, your daughter is at my place” she added over her shoulder

“Got it” Kara gave her a thumbs up.

Approaching Winn, CJ stamped down the butterflies as they returned with a vengeance. Taking a breath, she cleared her throat

“I keep telling you, man,” Winn insisted “you got a problem—oh, CJ, hey!” he grinned at her

“Am I interrupting?” CJ asked

“Nah, not at all,” Winn grinned as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began to lead her away “get help, Jake,” he added over his shoulder as he lead CJ back to his desk “so, not that I’m complaining,” he began “but, what brings you by on this _very dreary_ afternoon?”

“Can we talk?” she asked

“I thought that’s what we were do---OW! What is it with your branch of the family and hurting people?” he demanded, rubbing at the arm that CJ had just pinched

“Can we talk?” CJ repeated “in private?”

“Yeah, sure,” still rubbing at his arm, Winn led her back to the elevators and down one floor to the old Superlair, which hadn’t really been used in years. The last time the room had been used was back in 2017 when the Daxamites invaded, Alex and Astra had used the room as a backup command center after the Daxamites had taken over the DEO, but since then it hadn’t been touched, the only time it had been was a few weeks after the invasion when Cat Grant had officially designated the room off limits to everyone but a few ‘select’ employees, namely, Kara, James, and Winn.

Since then the room had gone untouched, largely due to the fact that, with Winn now having full access to the DEO (dating the deputy director had its perks) and the fact that the DEO was now declassified after Myriad, no one had any reason to use it anymore, most of the electronics were about sixteen years out of date now, and many had been shut off and were now covered with a fine layer of dust

“So,” Winn began as CJ shut the door, idly wrinkling her nose at the dust “what’s up with you that’s making you pinch me?”

CJ took a breath “Can you make me a suit?” she asked

“What, you mean like a costume?” Winn asked “like for Halloween?”

“No,” CJ sighed “I mean a ‘suit’,” she sighed “like you did for Kara”

For a moment Winn simply stared at her, blinking, his brain not quite understanding what she was asking. Then…

“ _ **Are you fucking crazy?!!**_ ” he demanded “do you _know_ what your parents will _do_ to me?! What _Kara and James_ will do to me?! What your _cousin_ will do?! Hell forget any of them, do you know what _Lucy_ will do to me?!”

“Winn, this isn’t some kind of…knee-jerk decision,” CJ objected “I’ve thought about this for a while, a long time in fact,” she frowned, biting her lip as she looked down at the floor “…years even” she admitted

Winn stammered and stuttered, fluttering his hands wildly “You…” he tried, faltered, and tried again, and faltered again

“OK, look,” CJ began “remember a few weeks ago? That…cheetah-woman at the Zoo? The one who was trying to _eat_ the animals?”

“Yeah,” Winn nodded “Wonder Woman stopped her, I thought”

CJ shook her head “She didn’t do it alone” she explained

“Wha…wait,” he shook his head “wait, wait…that was _you?_ ” he demanded “you did that?”

“Yes,” CJ nodded “so, you see, I _can_ do it, I can” she insisted

Winn grabbed a few fistfuls of his hair and groaned loudly

“OK,” he sighed “ _but_ ,” he warned “the second anybody else in the family finds out---the _second---_ I don’t know you. And if your moms find out, I’m moving to Antarctica. Deal?”

“Deal” CJ grinned

“Oh god, I am _so_ regretting this already” Winn muttered in resignation…


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astra plays matchmaker, Alura hurries to prayer, CJ and Winn scheme

******

Meanwhile, while CJ and a reluctant Winn schemed, Astra and her grandniece were finishing up explaining the genealogy of the Danvers-Olsen family tree to Cassie

“So…she’s your cousin?” Cassie asked “not your girlfriend?”

“God no!” Alura exclaimed, screwing up her face in pure disgust “she’s practically my _sister!!_ ” she gagged “ugh! No, no, no!” she frantically shook her head, shuddering

“All right,” Astra sighed “I think she gets it” she groaned as Alura got up and headed for the kitchen again, Astra sighed and followed her

“Well?” Astra asked as she cornered Alura by the fridge

“Well, what?” Alura challenged

“Don’t be obtuse, it’s unbecoming,” Astra sighed “you know very well ‘what’.”

Alura sighed “Sometimes I really _hate_ CJ” she grumbled

“She just wants you to be happy,” Astra chuckled “that’s probably why she left so suddenly,” she explained “so? Do you like Cassie?” she wondered

Alura squirmed and fidgeted “I…don’t know,” she finally hedged “I mean, I…guess?”

“So, then ask her out”

“How?” Alura demanded “just walk up to her and say ‘hey, want to go out’?”

“Sure, why not?” Astra shrugged “I took Alex to the zoo on our first date,” she explained “and your parents had a dinner date consisting of pizza and potsickers and watched the launch of the _Venture_ Space Shuttle”

“Didn’t that blow up?” Alura wondered

“No, only an engine exploded, Supergirl, Superman, and the Dark Angel got it safely back to Earth,” Astra explained “and you’re avoiding the issue” she accused

“And you’re the Dark Angel,” Alura countered as her cell phone chirped “damn,” she sighed as she looked up at Astra nervously “uh, which way is East?”

“You can use CJ’s room,” Astra smiled “the left wall is East” she explained

“Thanks” Alura smiled and quickly hurried back to the couch, digging two bundles of brightly colored cloth out of her backpack before quickly dashed into CJ’s room, shutting the door behind her, leaving behind a smiling Astra and a slightly-confused Cassie, who looked up at Astra questioningly

“Personal reasons,” Astra explained simply “no need to worry”

“Oh” Cassie nodded as Astra sat back down, grabbing one of Alura’s snacks (it wasn’t like she was eating it at the moment) as she turned back to the news

“ _In international news, Amazon ambassador, Diana of Themyscira, otherwise know as ‘Wonder Woman’, arrived in Washington today to protest a proposed oceanic oil drilling bill that would come dangerously close to the Amazon homeland,_ ” the newscaster announced, and Astra looked up an excited gasp from Cassie, who now sat up straighter watched as stock footage of Wonder Woman as well as footage of her in a neat business suit shaking hands with the President was splashed across the screen

“You like Wonder Woman?” Astra asked

“She’s _awesome_ ” Cassie exclaimed

“Well, what about Supergirl?” Astra wondered “surely she’s pretty ‘awesome’ too?”

“Yeah,” Cassie blushed “but…Wonder Woman was the first, you know? She was there even before Superman”

“That’s true” Astra smiled as she thought of CJ’s budding friendship with Diana, she hoped that they would become friends, if anything being friends with Diana might give CJ a boost of self-esteem, it might make her come out of her shell more. But right now, she thought, she needed to play matchmaker…

******

“So, does it fit OK?” Winn called out as he poked and double-checked his precious sewing machine. Next to Lucy, it was probably his most beloved item

“ _What the hell, Winn?_ ” he looked up as CJ marched out of the bedroom and held out her arms, displaying the new suit “a leotard?” she demanded “really?”

“It’s just a starting point,” Winn objected “so? How is it?”

“Gee, I don’t know,” CJ muttered “I was too distracted by the _giant hole over my cleavage!_ ” she gestured to the rather large opening in the chest area that, unfortunately, showed off far too much cleavage to be in anyway decent

“I haven’t thought of a symbol yet” Winn objected

“Who says I’m going to wear a symbol?” CJ challenged “I’m not going to fly around with the Crest of El on my chest,” she explained “for one thing it’s not my House” she added, Winn cringed as he realized just how much skin that opening in the suit showed off

“You know what? Just, just…keep your arms crossed like that” he said, twisting away from the image, yes she had grown into a very attractive young woman, but the key word there was ‘grown’, he had helped raise her, she was practically his daughter!

“And a _cape?_ ” she demanded, tugging on the red cape now limply slung over one shoulder by a cord “with _blue boots and gloves?_ Geez, Winn, not only is this thing sexiest, it _clashes!_ ”

“Capes help with aerodynamics when you’re flying” Winn objected

“Nope,” she yanked the cape off and threw it away “I’ve been flying without a cape since I was twelve, I’m not about to start now” she disappeared back into the bedroom and quickly came back out in her regular clothes, tossing the leotard at him

“Well,” Winn sighed “do you have any ideas?”

CJ beamed “I’m _so_ glad you asked” she said, and as she quickly rooted around in her backup, Winn looked skyward

“Dear god, it’s me, Winn, is this a test?” he muttered

“I heard that!” CJ called out as she emerged with a sketchbook and held it out to him, tapping her finger at the sketches on the page. He frowned at the simple, but practical, design, which basically involved a hoodie with a mask built into the hood, leggings, and sneakers, it was very much like CJ herself, simple, practical, but with a hint of elegance and class

“This is your design?” he asked

“Yeah, what’s wrong with it?” she demanded

“You’ll look like _Spider-Gwen_ for one thing,” he began “and for another….you want it to have a mask?”

“OK, first of all, I have _you_ to blame for introducing me to Spider-Gwen,” CJ accused “and second, you’re damn right I want a mask! I _do not_ my mothers finding out about this!”

Winn groaned

“Yep," he sighed " _still_ regretting this”


	36. Mother I May Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astra meets Cassie's mother...it doesn't go well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update time! Enjoy! :=)

******

Astra looked up at a rather frantic knocking at the door. Frowning at Cassie—who although seemed to be relaxing, still spoke only when spoken to—and got up, frowning as she opened the door

“Yes?”

“Where is my daughter?!” the woman on the other side of the door demanded, roughly shoving the door open, causing Astra to stumble back in surprise and actually fall flat on her ass

“But of course,” she muttered to no one in particular as she sat up “please, come on in, make yourself at home”

“Are you all right?!” the woman—presumably Mrs. Sandsmark herself—demanded of Cassie as she hurried over

“I’m fine, Mom” Cassie sighed, as her mother turned to Astra

“Mrs. Sandsmark…” Astra began as she got to her feet, preferring to fight an enemy on more-or-less equal footing (although she hoped this wouldn’t turn into a fight)

“ _Doctor_ Sandsmark” the woman corrected haughtily

“Excuse me, Dr. Sandsmark,” Astra resisted rolling her eyes by a very slim margin “I can assure you that your daughter is fine, as you can see” she gestured to Cassie, who looked like she wanted to sink into the floor again

“I don’t know who you are,” Dr. Sandsmark began “but, I’ll have you know---”

“Know what?” Astra interrupted, not liking this woman’s attitude “your daughter was not kidnapped, Doctor, she was invited over, _and_ she was given my cell phone number, the address, and even my partner’s number. You could have simply called either one of us to confirm your daughter’s whereabouts, rather than _barging_ in here like a bull in a china shop!”

Dr. Sandsmark whirled to face her daughter

“Why didn’t you call me?” she demanded

“Because you would have said ‘no’, like you always do!” Cassie exclaimed, showing more emotion than Astra had seen her exhibit in the past two hours “I’m not a _kid_ anymore, Mom! OK? I can take care of myself, and make my own decisions! I’m _fine_ , see?” she gestured to herself “Mrs. Danvers…”

“….who is still technically in the room” Astra muttered

“…didn’t try to hurt me, OK?” Cassie groaned, she stared down at her feet “she’s nice, Mom,” she finally muttered “and so are CJ and Alura”

“Who the hell are ‘CJ’ and ‘Alura’?!” Dr. Sandsmark demanded

“ _That_ would be my daughter and her cousin,” Alex’s voice said from the doorway. She walked in and gave Astra a questioning look “everything OK here?” she asked

“More or less” Astra muttered

“And just who the hell are you?!” Dr. Sandsmark demanded

“Her wife” Alex nodded towards Astra

“Doctor,” Astra began “I can assure you, in our company, no harm would have come to your daughter”

“And makes you say that?” Dr. Sandsmark demanded “just who the hell are you?”

Astra and Alex both sighed and pulled out their badges and held them up

“Agents Danvers and In-Ze, Department of Extranormal Operations” Alex introduced them

“Doctor,” Astra spoke up again “I’ll admit that I was wrong in not contacting you to confirm that you knew where your daughter was, but as you can see, she’s fine. Please, for her sake, don’t do anything rash”

Dr. Sandsmark set her jaw and firmly gripped Cassie’s arm

“We’re going,” she announced “and let me tell you both, if I see either of you near my daughter again, I’ll call the police!”

With that she firmly grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door shut hard enough to rattle the windows

“Nice woman” Alex muttered

“Very,” Astra chuckled “still,” she sighed as she righted several crooked picture frames which had been knocked askew by the slamming door “you can’t blame her; we’d probably do the same in her position” she reminded her wife

“Yeah,” Alex sighed “still…is it just me, or is the good doctor having trouble letting go?”

“Oh very much so.” Astra chuckled as CJ’s bedroom door opened and Alura cautiously peered out “so there you are,” Astra commented “you could have vouched for CJ and us,” she added as Alura shuffled out “at the very least, you could have said goodbye” she added

“I know,” Alura sighed “but I heard that woman and didn’t want to get torn to shreds”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Alex noted “where’s CJ?” she asked

“Out with Winn, doing god only knows what” Astra replied

“Actually,” Alura began hesitantly “I think I might know what she’s doing…”


	37. Super Skeletons in Closets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all worry about secrets in this family. It just comes with the territory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back! Enjoy! :=)

******

“So, Cassie huh?” Kara asked as she set the pizza box down on the table (neither she nor James could cook to save their lives, and it was a well-known fact that Kara couldn’t even boil water, so, more often than not, they ordered out. Or ate at Alex and Astra’s, but, since Alura came out, Kara and James wanted some alone time with their daughter)

“Oh! Mom!” Alura moaned as she grabbed a slice of pizza “sometimes I really _hate_ how we all ‘share’ things in this family,” she grumbled as she took a vicious bite out of her pizza. She wrinkled her nose “and onions,” she added, grimacing she began to pick the onions off the pizza “I thought you told them no onions. I _hate_ onions”

“Hey, you can just pick ‘em off,” James reminded her, happily biting into a large slice of onion, making his wife and daughter both gag “so?” he prompted “tell us about this girl” he encouraged

“Not much to tell” Alura shrugged

James turned to the laptop sitting nearby

“CJ?” he prompted

“ _Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Sandsmark, her mother’s Dr. Helena Sandsmark, originally from Metropolis University, she also lectured at Gateway City U_ ” CJ replied over the video chat (nobody said that Kara and James couldn’t include Alex and Astra in dinner conversation, and with the wonders of modern technology, they could and still be more or less alone with their daughter. Or at least that’s how Kara had phrased it anyway)

“ _This is really weird, Kara!_ ” Alex called out over the line

“Love you too, Alex” Kara chirped cheerfully

“ _Not much to tell about Cassie,_ ” CJ continued “ _since she doesn’t appear to be on social media—kudos—but her mother is…interesting, to say the least_ ”

“ _To say the least,_ ” Astra pitched in “ _she practically accused us of human trafficking!_ ” she visibly fumed “ _I swear, as if we would be involved in something so utterly reprehensible and disgusting! It’s utterly ludicrous!_ ”

“Bye, Aunt Astra!” Kara chirped as she quickly shut the laptop, ending the call, over Astra’s spirited protests. With the family dinner video chat now an obvious failure, Kara turned to her daughter “well?” she prompted

“Mom!” Alura moaned

“Hey, come on, this is good,” James encouraged “this,” he gestured between himself and Kara “…is us trying to be accepting”

“I know,” Alura sighed “and I appreciate it, really, I do,” she nodded “but…I can’t just…walk up to her and ask her out”

James and Kara looked at each other

“Why not?” they both asked

“It’s not that simple, you guys!” Alura exclaimed, she sighed “this isn’t one of those times where you say _‘the worst thing she can say is no’_. No, the ‘worst’ thing that she can do is announce that I’m gay to the entire school, or call me a 'freak', 'sick', tell me that I’m going 'to burn in hell'. _That’s_ the worst thing that she can do”

“Hey,” Kara gently gripped her arm as she stood up to leave “you can’t live in fear of ‘what if’, all right?” she gave Alura a smile “just give it a try. See what happens” she encouraged

******

Meanwhile at Alex and Astra’s apartment, Alex shut the laptop and shook her head

“Every year, I swear, she gets weirder and weirder,” she muttered as she turned back to CJ and Astra “so, anyway, CJ, you were going to tell us about your soccer tryout?”

“Oh, yes,” Astra chuckled “I’d almost forgotten about that”

“Well, put simply,” CJ began “I got on the team”

“Great,” Alex nodded “so, how much is this going to cost?”

“Alex!” Astra admonished

“What? It’s true!” Alex exclaimed “they charge the parents for the uniform you know?”

“Three hundred” CJ replied simply, holding the forms out

“Dollars?!” Alex spluttered

“….you also have to both sign a wavier that basically says that you won’t hold the school responsible if I get injured during a game” CJ added, holding out a second form

“We’re not signing that,” Alex stated “for one thing, you _can’t_ get injured on the field”

CJ just shrugged “OK”.

******

Hours later, as she was brushing her teeth, Alex looked up at a sigh from Astra

“Speak up” she ordered

“Just…,” Astra sighed “do you believe what Alura said this afternoon? About CJ wanting to become a superhero?”

Alex paused to rinse her mouth before answering

“No,” she chuckled as she turned off the bathroom light and climbed into bed, snuggling up to her wife “come on, I think our daughter has better sense than that” she added

“Hmm,” Astra sighed “I hope you’re right” she muttered, unaware that currently CJ was adding details to her sketch of her proposed super suit…

******

The next day, as Kara did her usual morning scramble, James knocked on Alura’s bedroom door, before opening it and leaning in

“Hey, come on, you’re gong to be late…” he trailed off, frowning at the image of Alura sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed minus her shoes, starting off into space “hey,” James slowly slipped inside “Alura? You OK?”

“Not really, no,” Alura shook her head “I was just thinking,” she began “what if I do ask Cassie out? What then?”

James slowly sank down next to her “Then…,” he began “you enjoy it”

“Yeah, but…,” Alura sighed “what about….you know…the super skeleton in the closet?” she wondered “I mean, what if we get serious and I tell her and then we breakup? What then? What if that’s _why_ we break up?”

“Whoa, whoa,” James held up a hand “slow down,” he laughed “look, just…ask her out first,” he explained “and, as for the family secret,” he gave her arm a reassuring squeeze “we trust you to have good judgment”

Alura was silent for a moment, before she turned and pulled him to a hug

“Thanks, Dad” she whispered into his shoulder

“Anytime, baby girl,” James whispered back “anytime”


	38. School Daze, Part Six: Surface Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alura has some worries, so does CJ

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! :=)

******

As the bell rang and students scrambled towards their lockers to begin their school day, Alura sighed as she opened her locker

“Hey, mopey,” Alura looked up at CJ, who had gone back to her black lace dress and boots “why so glum, chum?” she asked as she leaned against her own locker

“I’m going to ask Cassie out” Alura announced as shut her locker

“Whoa! What?!” CJ grabbed her arm, yanking her back and quickly dragging her into a nearby alcove next to a water fountain “when I said that you should ask her out, I didn’t mean the day after you met her!” she exclaimed “get to know her first a little, at least”

“If I do that, then I’ll end up the friends zone” Alura countered

CJ groaned, raking a hand through her bright, electric blue hair, before sighing “OK,” she said slowly, she squeezed Alura’s arm “good luck, I mean that” she said

“Thanks,” Alura sighed, she took a breath as she scanned the crowd of students “where is she?”

“Uh…oh! Over there,” CJ pointed “heading to….huh, Drama Class. That’s surprising”

“How’d you see that?” Alura asked

“I’m the tall cousin, remember?” CJ teased, pulling herself up to her full five foot seven height, despite still being only sixteen, she almost as tall as Astra now, compared to Alura who was permanently stuck at a petite five feet

“Excuse me,” both girls turned at a woman’s voice “are you CJ Olsen and Alura Danvers?”

“I’m Olsen,” Alura replied “she’s Danvers” she pointed to CJ. The woman now standing in front of them was dressed entirely in red, even her hair was red, she was tall and thin—almost anorexic—with a sharp face and bright, piercing, green eyes

“Ah,” the woman nodded “I see, my mistake,” she held out a hand “I’m Ms. Despera, your new school counselor,” she introduced herself “just thought I’d introduce myself and offer my services,” she explained as she shook hands with them, noticeably shaking hands with Alura a tad longer than was strictly polite or necessary “anyway,” she continued “if either of you would like to talk about anything that’s bothering you, my door is always open”

“Good to know,” CJ replied, her tone noticeably guarded “we’ll take that under advisement” she added, gently nudging Alura behind her

“Of course,” Ms. Despera nodded “and, of course, just remember, anything that you tell me will be held in the strictest of confidence. Not even your parents will know” she added

“Of course” CJ nodded. Now frowning oddly, Ms. Despera nodded

“Well, goodbye girls, hopefully I’ll you both soon” she said, turning and walking away

“OK, what’s with you?” Alura demanded

“I don’t think she’s Human,” CJ announced, she held up her hand “when I shook hands with her, I felt…something, something…alien”

“So?” Alura questioned “we’re not Human either, dummy,” she gave CJ a light slap upside the head, which CJ took in stride. Alura shook her head in clear disbelief “just because she might be an alien, doesn’t mean that she’s harmful” she pointed out

CJ shook her head, chuckling “Yeah, you’re probably right,” she admitted, she looked back over to where she had last seen Cassie, only to see that she has disappeared “looks you just missed her. Sorry” CJ apologized…

******

The school’s pool was normally closed off and locked during school hours, largely due to fears of somebody sneaking in and falling in and drowning, it was usually only opened during meetings of the swim team, as well as a mandatory class on giving CPR and mouth-to-mouth that the students had to take once a year. To make sure it was locked, the school had added a length of chain and a heavy-duty padlock in addition to simply locking the doors.

CJ fingered the broken padlock and the length of chain now pooled on the floor in front of the doors. Sighing, she pushed the doors open and walked into the darkened room, her boots slipping slightly on the title, her dress rustling around her ankles

“You know, one of these days they’re going to figure out how you do that” she called out as she approached the bleachers, where Alura now sat, seemingly doodling in a notebook (CJ highly doubted that she was doing actual schoolwork)

“Yeah, probably,” Alura sighed “how’d you find me?” she wondered

“I _always_ find you,” CJ replied softly as she sat down next to her cousin. She tapped her temple “we’re bonded remember?” she reminded her, reminding her cousin of the link, the bond that they shared, just as Astra and her sister had had a bond, so did CJ and Alura, a way that allowed them to sense the other, to somehow know on an instinctive level if the other was injured or troubled. Their bond was nowhere near as strong as the one CJ had with her parents—a byproduct of her Green Martian heritage—that bond allowed her to sense where Alex and Astra were in the world, even their emotional states, the bond she shared with Alura was simpler, more instinctive.

“Sometimes I hate that bond” Alura grumbled

“So you’ve said,” CJ noted “why _do_ you come in here anyway?” she wondered “I mean most kids spend their free period in the cafeteria, or the library, or the quad, but you….you commit a crime”

“It’s quiet in here,” Alura explained softly “no teachers demanding that I ‘do better’, none of these idiots all wanting me ‘fit in’, to act…,” her face screwed up in disgust “…normal” she sneered

“We have never, _never_ , been ‘normal’,” CJ chuckled “it’s not in our makeup. Literally”

A moment of comfortable silence passed between them as they stared at the light bouncing off the water in the pool

“Have you asked Cassie out yet?” CJ asked suddenly

“No”

“Did you _try_ to ask Cassie out yet?”

“No”

CJ sighed “Then you’re a invertebrate oviparous avian” she declared

Alura frowned, trying to decipher that. She scowled

“Did you just call me a ‘spineless chicken’ in Latin?” she demanded

“Well, if the feathers fit…” CJ countered, Alura bolted up

“God! You’re unbelievable, you know that?” she accused

“I know I am, but what are you?”

“Oh, that’s _real_ mature!” Alura shook her head “you don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what, Ally?” CJ countered, getting to her own feet “OK, yeah, it may not work, she might even say ‘no’, hell she might even call you an affront to God, and if she does say ‘yes’, there’s no guarantee that it’ll last. But…,” she reached out and gripped Alura by the shoulders “you have a chance at happiness here. Take it”

Alura sighed, long, drawn out, and aggravated “All right,” she groaned “I’ll ask her out after school’s over”

“Good,” CJ declared, beaming “see? Taking a chance can be good sometimes” she added

“But first,” Alura began, slowly approaching CJ “I’m going to push you in the pool”

“Wait, what?” CJ held up her hands as Alura continued marching towards her “don’t you dare, Ally!” she warned “it won’t even work, I can fly you know”

“I know,” Alura nodded as she kept marching “I also know that you’re about an inch away from tipping over right now,” she grinned “bye!” she gave CJ a hard shove, pushing her into the pool, but at the last second, CJ’s hand shot out and grabbed the edge of her t-shirt, dragging Alura in with her with a great splash.

Both girls surfaced, spitting out mouthfuls of water, glaring at each other

“You,” CJ began “….are _certifiable!_ ”

Alura grinned and swept out her hand, splashing CJ in the face. For a moment CJ just spluttered and coughed, before glowering at Alura

“Oh, it’s on, Olsen!” she declared, splashing Alura right back

“Hey, no fair! I wasn’t ready!” Alura protested, splashing back. In seconds they were in the middle of a major splash fight, both giggling like kids, the reason as to why they were fighting forgotten almost immediately as they enjoyed playing with each other like when they were kids, before things like school and peer pressure weighed down on them

“Ahem!” the girls both froze, turning to see Principal Siegel now standing at the edge of the pool, arms crossed as he glowered at them

“Busted” CJ declared….

******

In matter of moments both girls were wrapped in towels and now sat in a rickety old cot in the nurse’s office, dripping onto the floor

“Why are you blue?” Alura asked suddenly, nodding to the puddle at CJ’s feet, which had a distinct blue tinge to it

“Hair dye,” CJ pointed to her hair, which was starting to run “which is now staining my dress, thank you very much”

“Oooh, sorry” Alura winced

“Whatever” CJ dismissed

“Hey,” Alura began “about what you saying earlier, about Cassie…”

“Yeah?”

“Does Jeremy…know? You know, about…you?”

CJ took a breath “No,” she finally answered “no, he doesn’t know who I really am”

“Do you want to tell him?”

“You know I do”

Alura was about to ask more, but a knock at the door stopped her

“Hey, guys” Winn stuck his head around the door of the office

“Hey, Winn” they both greeted as one as he came in and handed them each a plastic grocery bag

“Your parents called,” he explained “brought you guys some dry clothes”

“Thanks” CJ sighed as she quickly undid her dress, revealing a simple tank top and what looked like yoga pants underneath (both black of course)

“Are you wearing Winnie the Pooh socks?” Alura asked as CJ wriggled her boots off “and why are you wearing yoga pants under a dress?” she wondered

“The yoga pants protect my modesty,” CJ explained “got the idea from your mom and her ‘suit’,” she explained “and don’t criticize my socks,” she added as she began to dry her boots, scowling “these are real leather you know,” she grumbled “if these are ruined you owe me two fifty” she proclaimed

“That’s not too bad” Alura noted

CJ slapped her upside the head

“Two _hundred_ and fifty, you idiot”

“And they’re off” Winn muttered as he chanced a look over his shoulder. Seeing that the girls were now both fully dressed, he turned back around, holding out the two plastic bags for the girls to put their wet clothes inside

“Thanks, Winn, you’re a saint” CJ sighed

Winn blushed and shrugged “Nah, it’s fine,” he declared “it beats having to deal with Lucy’s doctor anyway”

“She has a doctor’s appointment today?” CJ asked

“And you didn’t go with her?” Alura added

“No, she didn’t want me coming” Winn explained, fidgeting under the twin glare they were giving him

“Why?” CJ wondered

“Ah, her doctor’s real old-fashioned, doesn’t like that we’re having a kid without being married first” he explained

“How old is this guy?” Alura wondered

Winn chuckled “Who knows,” he tied the bags up and nodded “you guys better get to class” he added

“Yep,” CJ sighed “bye Winn”

“Bye Winn” Alura added

******

As the final bell rang signaling the end of school, Alura trudged out into the hall along with a mass of other trudging students, many of whom had been bored into a coma by Mr. Lyons history class, a man who could make exciting battles sound so utterly _boring_ that even CJ—a history geek—had dozed off more than once.

“There she is” CJ’s voice said as she followed Alura out of the building, pointing to where Cassie stood, no doubt waiting for her mother

“Yep,” Alura nodded “wish me luck”

“Good luck, cuz, I mean it” CJ replied

Alura took a breath as she approached Cassie, feeling like her stomach was now somewhere in her sneakers

“Cassie” she called out, Cassie turned and then seemed to curl in on herself, like some kind of sweater-wearing armadillo

“My, my Mom doesn’t want me talking to you” she said, staring at her shoes

“Look,” Alura sighed “I know that….you like me,” she cringed inwardly, how lame did she sound, exactly? But she pressed on “and, I like you, so…,” she took a breath, now or never “do you want to go out with me some time?”

Cassie stared at her

“You mean…like on a date?” she asked

“Yeah” Alura nodded, feeling her nerves began to ease

“I’d love---“

“Absolutely not!” Alura turned to watch as Dr. Sandsmark stormed over, firmly gripping Cassie by the arm. She gave Alura a glare “don’t come near my daughter again” she hissed, before firmly yanking on Cassie’s arm and all but dragging her to a waiting car

Alura simply stood there, watching Cassie being dragged away, feeling like someone had just punched her in the gut…


	39. We Two...Against the World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short update for "Family Matters" enjoy! :=)

******

“I’m gong to kill her!” Kara snarled as she paced back and forth in front of the operations table at the DEO, her cape fluttering wildly as she did

“No, you’re not” Alex sighed, grabbing at her sister’s arm. Kara huffed and stopped pacing

“No, you know what,” she dug her phone out “I am going to call her, and—”

“…and say _what_ , Kara?” Alex demanded “ _‘Hi Dr. Sandsmark, you don’t me, but could you please let your daughter date my daughter’?_ ”

“ _Alex!_ ” Kara exclaimed “you saw the look on Alura’s face, OK? You saw how…how… _devastated_ she looked”

“I know,” Alex gently gripped Kara’s arms “I _know_ ,” she repeated “and if it was CJ I’d probably want to go over there and throttle Cassie’s mom myself,” she took a breath “but there are some things that Supergirl can’t fix. And this is one of them,” she sighed “our girls are growing up, and that means learning how to handle the world’s hurts on their own”

“She’s right, little one,” Astra said as she came over “Alura is strong, like you, like James, like your mother. She’ll recover and come out stronger in the end”

“But what do I do _now?_ ” Kara moaned

“Just be her Mom” Alex instructed…

******

Alura drew back a fist and hammered at the metal post in front of her; a sizeable dent appeared in the post’s side as a built-in seismograph measured the force of the impact and displayed it on a nearby monitor. The device was one of many workout devices made up originally for Kara—and later, after she joined the DEO, Astra—to use to learn the limits if her powers. In addition to the force meter (used to measure the force of a punch or kick), there were also specially-designed weights, which could have the weight artificially increased or decreased, and even a whole obstacle course that could used to measure speed and flight, which CJ had always loved to work her way through, even before developing her superspeed or flight.

Alura had always preferred the force meter, the freedom it allowed her to just let go and really _wail_ on something. Drawing back another fist, she slammed it home, harder than last time. She thought of Cassie’s mother, of that sneer she had had as she dragged Cassie away, and started to furiously kick and punch at the post, any sense of control or technique lost as she let her anger take over.

With a sudden crash the post broke free of its supports on the floor and careened across the room to the hit the far wall with a crash and a shower of sparks.

Panting harshly, Alura groaned and ran a tired hand through her short hair

“Feeling better?”

Alura turned to see Alex standing in the doorway

“What do you think?” she sneered. To her credit, Alex merely just smirked as she walked over to one of the weightlifting benches and sat down

“I ever tell you about ‘Vicki Donahue’?” she asked

Alura shrugged “Name sounds vaguely familiar”

“She was my best friend growing up,” Alex began “before Kara came to live with us, Vicki and I were inseparable, and we stayed close even after your Mom arrived,” she sighed “but then…during my junior year in high school something changed between us”

“You were attracted to her” Alura reasoned

“Oh god was I ever,” Alex chuckled “it didn’t help that she had…matured over the summer,” she smirked “anyway, I didn’t know what I was feeling. The idea that I might be gay or at least attracted to women had never even occurred to me. So, there I was, left pinning for my friend and not knowing why. Eventually she somehow found out that I saw her that way or something, we had this big blow out fight and…that was it…goodbye Vicki. Haven’t seen or heard from her since”

“There a point to this?” Alura grumbled

“Yes,” Alex stood up and softly walked over to Alura “what you’re feeling right now, that anger, that hurt, is normal. And I know it won’t mean much right now, but it _will_ get better. I promise”

Alura’s face fell as tears welled up in her eyes

“It was _so_ …humiliating” she hissed

“I know, I know,” Alex soothed as she pulled her niece into a firm embrace “I know it was…believe me. I know…”

******

CJ sighed as she leaned against the balcony overlooking the city. Slowly, she became aware of a presence behind her, and spotted a figure out of the corner of her eye join her

“How’s your cousin?” J’onn rumbled quietly

“How do you think?” CJ spat “you know, I don’t know what’s worse: seeing her get rejected, or seeing her get rejected by that bitch of a woman”

“Probably the ‘bitch of a woman’.” J’onn nodded

“Yeah,” CJ sighed “probably,” she took off her glasses and rubbed at her eyes “ugh! I wish I could _do_ something here!” she groaned

“You already are,” J’onn reminded her “you’re being her family,” he explained “look,” he began “you and Alura are the closest I’ve ever seen, even closer than Alex and Kara. You’ve both been through things that most kids either only dream about or wish never happens,” he smiled and rested his hand on hers, squeezing tightly “she’ll get through this”

“I know,” CJ sighed “but what about right now?”

“Right now, just be her cousin,” he reminded her “the rest will fall into place”

CJ smiled up at him before suddenly pulling into a hug “Thanks, J’onn” she whispered

“Anytime” he replied…


	40. Broken Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! Chapter FORTY!!! Whoo! Enjoy! :=)

******

Alex sighed as she came out of the training room. Alura had had a good cry and was looking a little better, hopefully, come tomorrow she’d be willing to try again with Cassie. Rolling her neck to get the kinks out, Alex frowned as CJ marched towards her from the balcony, J’onn quietly following. CJ looked…mad

“When were you going to tell me, Mom?” CJ demanded

“Tell you what?” Alex asked, confused

“That Non was not only awake but wanted to talk to me” CJ responded

Alex scowled, glowering at J’onn “You told her?” she demanded

“I took it upon myself to let her know,” he nodded “she’s growing up, Alex. That means making her own decisions and choices” he reminded

CJ scowled, reminding Alex far too much of Astra despite the runny blue hair color and mismatched t-shirt and jeans due to her dip in the school’s pool “I want to talk to him” she stated

Alex sighed “All right…”

******

They moved silently down the hall towards the DEO’s infirmary’s ICU. Turning the corner they stopped at a door way, two fully-armed agents stood guard on either side

“Agent Danvers,” one nodded at Alex. He smiled at CJ “hey, kid”

“Hey, Jake” CJ replied

“Five minutes,” Alex warned “no longer”

Taking a breath, CJ stepped into the room. Non lay on a lone bed in the center of the room, a bright red cylinder light shone down on the bed from above, while a bright yellow circle ringed the edge of the cylinder. A sign stood just in front of the bed

’ALL PERSONEL ARE REQUIRED TO STAY OUTSIDE OF THE LIGHT AT ALL TIMES’

It read, while another sign warned ‘DO NOT INTERACT WITH THE PATIENT’

Smirking, CJ stepped up the circle, standing just outside it. Non slowly turned to look at her, his restraints creaking slightly as he did

“I heard you wanted to talk to me” CJ said with far more confidence than she actually felt

“Just like Astra,” Non remarked “no subtly, no airs or graces, merely straight and to the point,” he chuckled as he laid his head back down “tell me of yourself, child”

“What do you want to know?” CJ wondered as she began to circle the perimeter

“I want to know what would make the last daughter of the House of In-Ze turn her back on a cause she devoted her life to,” Non began “I want to know what would make her fall for a Human. And, above all, I want to know who you are”

CJ smirked “I’m the heir to the House of In-Ze,” she began “the blood of that House runs through my veins, as does the blood of the last Green Martians. And I am not going to fall for your cheap mind games, so you either tell me what you want or I’m walking out of here”

Non suddenly lunged, the restraints pulled taut as he reached for her

CJ didn’t flinch “Red sunlight’s a bitch isn’t?” she remarked as Non collapsed back onto the bed coughing and wheezing

“So much like Astra,” he panted “strong, confident, but not cruel,” he smiled, a pleased, happy smile “yes, you truly are the heir to the House of In-Ze, child,” he praised “I only ask one question and one only, then I shall not bother you any further”

“Then ask it”

“Is she happy? Your mother?”

CJ frowned as she considered the question “Yes,” she finally answered “she is”

“And you are a part of that happiness?”

“I’d like to think so”

“Good,” he nodded, clearly getting tired “very good,” he sighed, frowning “does she ever…speak of me?” he asked “talk of me from before?”

“From before Fort Rozz, you mean?” CJ asked, he nodded “sometimes” she answered

“And what does she say?”

CJ sighed, Non’s purpose for wanting to speak to her clear now “She doesn’t love you, Non, I’m sorry,” she sighed “she cared for you as a friend, she was sad to see you slip down into darkness and insanity. But, she never loved you. Not like that anyway”

“But…,” he began “she _is_ happy with her new life here?”

“I am,” Astra answered as she came in. She nodded at CJ and then nodded towards the door, CJ quickly ducked her head in silent understanding and quickly slipped out of the room. Now alone with Non, Astra glowered at him through the shaft of artificial red sunlight “was that why you attacked her?” she demanded “as some kind of demented way of showing your affections?” she demanded

Non shook his head “I saw her, I saw _you_ in her, knew that she was your child with the Human, and…,” he shook his head “I knew that there no hope for me” he finally admitted

Astra sighed “There is always hope, Non,” she told him “the thing about it is that it often comes when we least expect it or want it to,” she reached through the shaft of light and gently took his hand, squeezing briefly before pulling back “get well, old friend” she said…

******

Astra sighed as she left Non’s room, feeling tired and drained

“Astra?” Alex and CJ softly came over “you OK?” Alex asked

“I am now” Astra replied, pulling her wife and daughter close

“And Non?” CJ asked “what’ll happen to him?”

“I don’t know,” Astra admitted “I don’t think he truly feels repentant for Myriad, not like I do. I think if it came down to it, he’d be willing to at least sacrifice a good majority of humanity. But, yet…”

“You still see traces of your old friend in there” Alex guessed

“Something like that,” Astra sighed. She shook her head “enough of this, CJ, how’s Alura?”

“Not to good” CJ sighed…

******

Alura groaned in frustration as she slammed her bedroom door shut

“Just leave me alone, Dad!!!” she yelled through the door

“Alura, I can’t _do that_ , you know that!” James yelled back. Alura groaned as she slowly slid down the length of the door to the floor

“It just…really hurts, OK?” she sighed

“I know,” James sighed “I know it does. But, hey, at least you can actually talk to a girl,” he pointed out “when I was fifteen…ugh, the only girls who would talk to me were my teachers or your grandma”

Alura snorted out a half laugh

“Really?” she asked

“Really,” he replied with a chuckle “did you know that Grandma actually made me wear a blazer and a bowtie to school?”

“You’re kidding” Alura exclaimed, struggling to picture her father in a bowtie

“A _red_ bowtie,” James added “bright as your Mom’s cape”

“Oh, god, that’s terrible. No wonder no girl would talk to you” Alura snorted

“I had to wear that stupid thing all the way to _high school_ ” James explained “it was a miracle that I managed to get one of my friends to go to the prom with me”

Smiling despite herself, Alura reached up and slowly opened the door. James sat on the floor, leaning against the wall next to the door

“Hi” he said softly

“Hi,” Alura replied, she wiped at her eyes “sorry, I must sound like some sort of nut, huh?”

“No,” James chuckled as he shuffled inside to join her “not a nut, not at all,” he pulled her close “you want to go watch some really bad acting?” he offered

“Soap operas?” Alura asked, her interest clearly piqued. Since she was little, if she was ever home sick (which had been surprisingly often before her powers developed) she would curl up on the couch with either James or Kara, or both, and they would all laugh and groan at the melodramatic acting on the various daytime soaps. It was a nice childhood memory for her, no annoying bookworm cousin, just her, her parents, and some nice alone time

“Come on” James encouraged, stiffly getting to his feet, Alura moving to follow him. She stopped as her phone buzzed

“Damn,” she muttered “uh, Dad? Could you hold on for a second? I…got some…personal…things”

“It’s all right,” James chuckled “praying five times a day doesn’t sound easy, but I’m glad you’re keeping up with it”

She stared at him “You know?” she asked

“I found your copy of the _Qur’an_ when I was cleaning your room last week,” he explained “figured you tell us about it on your own terms”

“How did you know that I hadn’t become some terrorist nutcase?” she wondered

James scoffed “Because you’re smarter than that,” he smiled “go on, go, you don’t want to miss prayer”

“Right,” she grinned a bit more freely “just be a few minutes,” she said as she gathered her prayer rug, her _Quar’an_ , and her _hijab_. She paused and then walked over to James and pulled him into a tight hug “thanks, Dad,” she whispered “for everything,” she added as she pulled away “I know I don’t say it often. Or at all. But…I’m glad to have parents like you and Mom”

“And we’re glad to have you” James whispered, pulling her close…


	41. Groove of Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James and Alura bond, and then get a shock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short update! Enjoy! :=)

******

“I can’t believe people watch these things,” Alura snorted “I can’t believe _I’m_ watching it,” she added as she snuggled deeper under the throw, curled up against James’ side “hey, don’t you have work?” she wondered as she stuffed a handful of popcorn into her mouth

“Took a sick day,” James answered “and don’t talk with your mouth full” he added as a knock came at the door. Getting up, James answered it, finding a delivery man on the other side

“Package for a…Jimmy Olsen?”

“That’s me”

“Sign here, sir,” James quickly scrawled his name down on the clipboard “and here you go,” the man handed him a large box “enjoy”

“Thanks. Oh, here you go” James awkwardly dug out some change and tipped the man. With a polite nod and a smile the man swiftly left

“What’s in the box?” Alura wondered as James set it down on the coffee table

“Don’t know,” he plucked an envelope taped to the top of the box off, his name written on it “ _’Dear, Jimmy, I was going through the attic and found this, thought you might like it, your Dad certainly did. Love Mom’_ ” he read

“Oh cool, Nana sent us a present,” Alura quickly threw back the knit throw and eagerly reached for the box “I wonder what’s inside,” she mused as they began to undo the liberal amounts of tape and twine holding the box closed “aw hell, why does she always have to _mummify_ her packages?” Alura grumbled as the last bit of tape came off and promptly stuck itself to her forehead. Scowling, she peeled it off and then leaned in to peer inside the box, feeling a bit disappointed at what she saw “old records?” she asked as James gently eased a small collection of old vinyl records out of the box, all still in their original sleeves.

“My Dad’s old records,” James explained “man, he used to listen to these things all the time. Look at this, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix. All of them”

“Great,” Alura nodded “now we just need to find a record player. In 2036,”

James smirked as he gently removed all of the records and unearthed a small, portable record player “…which Nana included,” Alura nodded “of course she did”

“Hey, come on, _this_ is _music_ ” James explained

“Sure it is. You just keep telling yourself that, Dad” Alura nodded

James smirked and quickly unpacked the record player, finding that it even had a set of fresh batteries installed. Chuckling, he picked one record and set up, gently easing the needle down. There was a pop and a crackle and then Stevie Wonder’s _Superstitious_ began to play. Standing up, James offered Alura a hand

“I don’t dance” she deadpanned. James rolled his eyes

“You don’t even know _how_ ” he retorted

“Oh yeah?” Alura quickly stood up and effortlessly _Moonwalked_ past the coffee table “ha!” she declared triumphantly

“Now _that’s_ my girl!” James laughed as he sidestepped around her, gliding past her as if he were on skates

“Dad!” Alura laughed “who knew that you had moves!”

“Oh, I’ve got moves, baby girl” he laughed as they twirled and spun around each other, Alura yelping as he suddenly dipped her. Laughing she fell against him as the song ended

“Oh, OK, that was fun” she laughed “ooh! I’ve got to show these to CJ, she’ll flip! She goes nuts for all this old stuff”

“But first we need to thank your grandmother,” James reminded her “we can do it over Skype” he added over her groan.

A few minutes later, James’ laptop chirped as Mrs. Olsen appeared on the screen, self-consciously straightening her bathrobe

“Hi Mom” James waved

“Hi Nana” Alura added over his shoulder

“ _Hello, dears,_ ” she smiled back “ _this is an unexpected surprise. Did you get the package I sent?_ ”

“It just came,” James nodded “in fact, that’s why we’re calling, thought we’d say thank you,” he nudged Alura hard in the ribs

“Thanks, Nana” she chirped with false cheer

“ _Hmm,_ ” Mrs. Olsen frowned “ _it’ll do,_ ” she decided “ _oh, Jimmy, tell Kara I said hi_ ”

“I will, Mom” James replied

“ _And don’t forget to say ‘hi’ to Alex and that lovely wife and daughter of hers_ ” Mrs. Olsen added, just a male voice called out to her from somewhere out of frame

“Mom? Is someone there?” James asked, frowning, it was just a little after nine AM in Metropolis, and his mother never had people over until at least ten

“ _Marie, do you—oh_ ” James felt his jaw drop as General Sam Lane came into view of the webcam

General Sam Lane who was wearing a bathrobe

 _Only_ a bathrobe

“ _Mr. Olsen_ ” Lane nodded, while Mrs. Olsen sighed and buried her face in her hands

“Holy…shit!” Alura exclaimed, her eyes as wide as saucers

“ _Jimmy,_ ” Mrs. Olsen began awkwardly, clearly trying to salvage the situation “ _uh, you know, Sam Lane_ ”

“We’ve…met” James nodded slowly _’Met when I was dating his daughter’_ he added silently

“Uh…Nana,” Alura began “how…I mean…when…what the ever-loving fuck?!”

“ _Language!_ ” Mrs. Olsen snapped “ _well,_ ” she began “ _it was after Christmas…we’d gotten to talking, and agreed to meet up again once we were both back in Metropolis, and well…_

“Uh-huh” James nodded, feeling speech suddenly leave him as he continued to stare at the image of General Sam Lane in a bathrobe. In his mother’s kitchen. In a bathrobe. In his mother’s kitchen. In a bathrobe.

“We’ll just call back later!” Alura quickly slammed a hand down on the laptop, shutting it and ending the call. Slowly she turned to stare at her father, hand over her mouth “oh…my...god!” she laughed “oh my god! Oh! This is…I mean…holy…I just…wow”

“This isn’t funny!” James hissed

"Oh yes it is!" she chortled

“No! It isn't! General Lane is _dating_ my mother! _Your_ grandmother!”

“He was in a bathrobe, Dad,” she pointed out “I think they’ve passed ‘dating’.”

“Oh! Don’t _say_ that!!” James stood up and started to pace “I mean this is the same man who once _tortured_ Astra, OK?! And now…now he’s…now he’s—god! I can’t even say it!”

“OK, one, him torturing Aunt Astra happened more than _sixteen_ years ago,” Alura began “two, she’s an adult, Dad. And three, just look on the bright side”

“ _What_ bright side?!”

“Anytime she makes a fuss about my being gay, just use this as leverage” Alura shrugged

“Use what as leverage?” Kara’s voice asked from the door. She frowned at her daughter and her husband “guys? What’s going on?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is best enjoyed if you've seen the Season One blooper where Mehcad Brooks shows off his dance moves :=)


	42. Major Developments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FORTY-TWO! Enjoy! :=)

******

Lucy sighed as she rifled through the mail…bill…bill…junk…junk…advertisement for something that neither she or Winn wanted or needed

Uh-oh

She scowled at the postmark and return address

Harvey & Bachmann, Attorneys at law

Tearing it open, she scanned the simple paragraph, a few phrases jumping out right away

_Offer of out of court settlement refused…_

_…clients wish to purse legal action against the family of Connor Jeremiah Danvers for inflicting bodily harm_

“Fuck!” digging her key out she thrust it into the lock and pushed the door open “Winn? Oh, hey,” she waved at him as she shut the door “the family of that kid that CJ threw into the buffet table still wants to go through with the lawsuit. So, hooray for that,” she sighed and patted her still-flat belly “upside, the check up turned out OK, Dr. Hamilton thinks that this tyke will be as healthy as a horse,” she stopped and frowned “Winn?” she waved a hand in front of his face, but he just sat there, limply holding his phone, staring off into space

“Your Dad,” he began slowly “…is dating James’ mom”

Lucy snorted “That’s not funny”

Winn slowly shook his head “Wasn’t trying to be”

Lucy stared at him “Wait. Seriously?” she asked, Winn nodded

“James and Alura were Skyping with Mrs. Olsen, and apparently your dad comes in. In a bathrobe”

Lucy groaned “Oh! I did _not_ need to hear that!” she groaned and covered her ears “wait…so that means that…oh! OH! EW! EW! EW! I can see it as clear as day now! Ohh! My god! Gross!”

“Uh-huh,” Winn nodded dimly. He frowned “although, when you think about it---HEY!!!!” he yelped and threw his arms up over his head as Lucy started beating him with a pillow

“Stop _thinking_ about it, god damn it!” she said

“I thought you told Alex back at Christmas that you were fine with the idea!” he yelped

“ _That…was…when…it was…just a…silly…little…thought!!!_ ” she snarled, punctuating each blow with the pillow with a word “now…shut…up…about…it!!!” the pillow finally exploded in a burst of stuffing, cotton batting suddenly showering the two of them

Winn stared at Lucy

Lucy stared at Winn

Then they both started laughing

“You got…” Winn plucked a few strands of batting out of her hair

“Hey, you’re covered in it,” she countered “you could've used it to play Santa,” she snorted. Both sighing with exhaustion, they leaned against each other “seriously, though,” Lucy sighed “this is kind of big news, and you _know_ that Alura’s already told CJ”

“…who’s already told Alex and Astra, who told Kara. If she doesn’t already know,” Winn finished, he sighed “yep. Face it, Luce, you’re screwed”

“So’s CJ if we can’t get these sharks to back off on the lawsuit” Lucy added, holding up the envelope

Winn groaned “Tell me some _good news_ please?” he pleaded

“No can do,” she sighed “for example, I just realized on the drive back home that we don’t have an extra bedroom”

“Oh god, that means we’ll have to move” Winn moaned

“Hey, here’s some good news,” Lucy encouraged “we’ve got two Kryptonians and two half-Kryptonian family members to help us lift the heavy stuff”

“Oh yeah!”

******

“Knock-knock!” Lucy and Winn both chorused as they appeared on the other side of Alex and Astra’s door

“Let me guess, you’ve run out of food again, and you’re both too lazy to go shopping for more” Astra guessed

“What? No!” Winn shook his head “no, man, we just thought we’d, you know, stop by, see how you’re doing, you know, like that”

Astra nodded, clearly not believing him for a second “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, make yourselves comfortable” she told them as she about faced and headed back to the stove

“She knows us _way_ too well” Winn muttered

“Oh yeah” Lucy agreed. Walking inside, they found the usual clump of people. Kara and James were on the couch ‘borrowing’ Alex and Astra’s Netflix subscription, Alex herself lounged in one of the armchairs, feet propped up as she flipped through a magazine, Astra manned the stove with all the efficiency of a solider, and would promptly evict anyone who dared enter her domain, lest they screw up her recipe, something which her completely-useless-in-a-kitchen-wife was more than happy to comply with. While CJ and Alura were nowhere to be seen

“Hey, where are the girls?” Winn asked as he commandeered the couch’s armrest. He was tempted to try and sneak a few cheeseballs from the bag in Kara’s lap, but knew better, for one thing, if Astra saw that she would launch into a lecture on how unhealthy they were, which would last about an hour if they were lucky and she was in a good mood, and if Kara caught him trying to steal her snack she might just take his whole arm off, and he’d like to keep all his limbs intact, thank you very much

“They’re in CJ’s room giggling about something” Alex answered

“Uh-oh,” Lucy chuckled as she sat down next to Winn on the armrest and, unlike him, not only dared to try and steal some cheeseballs, but succeeded “two girls and giggling never ends well” she added, popping a few of the cheeseballs into her mouth. Winn looked forlornly at the handful in her hand turned on the puppy dog eyes, which while nowhere near as good as Kara’s Pout™ it was good enough to weaken the resolve of a certain U.S. Army Major, and Lucy gave up a few of the powdered puffy balls with a melodramatic eye roll

“Something happened today that has Alura giggling,” Kara commented as James suddenly choked “OK, seriously, what is going on?” Kara demanded “ever since I came home this evening you’ve been looked like you just saw something terrifying, and Alura’s been giggling like a nut. What gives?”

“You’d never believe me” James shook his head just as a loud hysterical _cackle_ suddenly came from CJ’s room

“Are you _kidding_ me?!” CJ howled “seriously? In a _bathrobe?!_ No way! You’re pulling my chain!”

“No! I’m serious!” Alura insisted “I was right there with Dad when it happened. Nana Olsen and---”

“ALURA!!!” James barked out in a voice that made even Astra jump

“What the hell’s with you?” Alex asked

“HisMomandLucy’sDadaredating!” Winn blurted out in a rush

“WINN!!” Lucy and James exclaimed as Lucy lobbed another pillow at him

“Whoa! Whoa! Back up,” Kara waved her hands “James’ Mom is dating…General Lane?”

“He was in a bathrobe in her kitchen at nine AM Metropolis time!” Alura called out gleefully

Kara stared at Alex, who turned to stare at Astra, all three of them slowly putting two and two together…

“OH!!!” they all groaned at once

“Oh god, oh god, I can see it, I can see it” Kara moaned

“Me too, ohh! Winn! Why did you have to say that?!” Alex snarled

“I’m not here, I’m not here,” Astra muttered, banging around in the kitchen with more force than before “I’m in my happy place” she muttered

“I will _never_ be able to look my father in the eye again” Lucy vowed

“ _Your_ father?” James demanded “he’s dating _my_ mother!”

“Its worse,” Alex groaned “he’s dating his daughter’s _ex-boyfriend’s mother_ ”

Several pillows all flew at her at once, followed by an simultaneous outraged cry of “ _ALEX!!!!_ ”


	43. Major Announcements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FORTY-THREE! Enjoy! :=)

******

“Hang on,” Kara held up a hand “who told Winn?” she wondered. The others stopped mid-recoil and all turned to look at Winn questioningly. He held up his phone

“Alura texted me, told me to tell Lucy” he shrugged just as Alura herself came out of CJ’s room, CJ in tow

Alura stared at the others “Bad time?” she finally asked

“ _You_ told Winn?” James demanded

“What? I figured that Lucy had a right to know just _who_ her father is—”

CJ suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth “Please, I’m begging you,” she began “for the love of everything good and decent, whatever you do, do _not_ finish that sentence. _Ever_ ”

“Mhffph”

“Thank you” CJ removed her hand

Alura wrinkled her nose, sniffing experimentally “Great. All I can smell now is the acrylic from your nail color. Thanks”

“Baby”

“Why did you tell Lucy?” James demanded

“Because,” Alura rolled her eyes “she needs to know who her Dad’s,” CJ coughed, Alura rolled her eyes “…’dating’,” she finished “instead of having to meet his new girlfriend over dinner”

“Makes sense” CJ nodded

“Guys,” Alura began “this is _not_ bad OK? I’m sure Nana took the news about my being gay at lot worse then we’re taking this”

James suddenly seemed to deflate and looked away

Alura glowered

“You didn’t tell her yet?” she demanded

“I was getting to it!” James objected

“James!” Kara exclaimed “you…! Alex!”

Alex promptly smacked James upside the head

“Thank you” Kara sighed

“No problem” Alex shrugged

“How could you not tell her that her only granddaughter is _gay?_ ” Kara demanded

“Yeah, come on, dude,” Winn exclaimed, the revelation of James inaction apparently having rendered Winn immure to further ridicule “that’s like…the top of the list here”

“I just…keep forgetting,” James sighed “plus, I…don’t really know how to tell her”

“Simple, _’Hi, Mom, Alura’s gay and a Muslim. Love you, bye’_ ,” Alura said “that’s not too hard, is it?”

“Not…exactly the most…discrete way of telling someone that their grand kid is gay” CJ pointed out

“What? It works doesn’t it?”

CJ sighed “Mom!”

Alex promptly slapped Alura upside the head

“Thanks”

“Sure”

“OK,” Kara huffed “first thing tomorrow, the three of us are calling Nana Olsen and telling her about Alura. Clear?”

Alura and James each grumbled out a non-committal grunt, which Kara took to mean yes

“Good...”


	44. Major Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short update! Enjoy :=)

******

“ _You’re gay?_ ” Mrs. Olsen asked the next day over Skype

“Yes, Nana” Alura sighed as Mrs. Olsen’s eyes bored into her over the screen

“ _Are you sure?_ ”

Alura nodded “I am”

Mrs. Olsen nodded “ _Well, I can’t say that I’m not surprised, or a little disappointed that I won’t be getting any great-grandchildren,_ ” she chuckled “ _but, if you’re happy, sweetie than I’m happy_ ” she declared

Alura sighed with audible relief “That’s a load off my mind” she breathed

Mrs. Olsen chuckled and smiled “ _So, is there someone…special?_ ” she asked

Alura groaned “Why is that always everyone’s next question after ‘you’re gay’?” she wondered

“ _Well? Is there?_ ” Mrs. Olsen prompted

“Sorta,” Alura shrugged, feeling her face heat up “I haven’t asked her out yet,” she admitted “but…”

“ _No, go, go, ask her out,_ ” Mrs. Olsen encouraged “ _go_ ” she added

Alura chuckled “All right,” she decided “thanks, Nana”

“ _Of course, sweetie_ ”

The computer chirped as the call ended. Sighing, Alura turned to look up at James

“There, that wasn’t too hard, now was it?” she grinned…


	45. School Daze, Part Six: School Spirit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FORTY-FIVE! Enjoy! (note, part of the plot for the next couple of chapters is shamelessly stolen from the Season Four episode of _Smallville_ , "Spirit", one of my favorites, mostly because 1): I am also a die-hard Chlark shipper, and 2): the image of Annette O'Toole badly dancing to a pop song and acting like a general teenage bitch still makes me laugh.
> 
> (As Sgt. Shultz) "I regret NOTHING!!! NOTHING!" :=)

******

SPRING FLING  
2  
DAYS  
AWAY!

Alura stopped and reread the poster plastered across half the bulletin board in the school’s lobby. Suddenly a bubble of hope popped up in her head, she could ask Cassie to the dance! It would mean that she’d have to sacrifice her tomboy look, but she was willing to do so for just one night. And besides, she wanted to show Cassie that she could clean up

The sharp click of heels and a whiff of expensive, overpowering perfume from behind her made her turn around. Standing behind, flanked by her two ever-present ‘yes-women’ was the school’s queen bee, one Kimberly Stanley. She was the epitome of ‘perfect’ to most of the students at Otto Binder High, her hair was a natural blonde, not bottled, she always managed to dress in just the right way, not too casual and not too formal either, her parents were wealthy, but not so wealthy as to seem detached or out of touch with the world, and her blue eyes sparkled in just the right way. In short she looked like, as CJ once phrased it, _’an escapee from the set of 90210’_.

There was only one, tiny, little, problem with this equation. Namely Kimberly Stanley was also a Class A bitch. As head—and founder—of the school’s rumor mil, she had ascended to the top of the social pyramid through backstabbing, lies, and cheating, managing to viciously slander almost everyone who got in her way, even some of the teachers were scared of her supposedly. 

Add a highly self-centered, egotistical personality to the mix and you got Kimberly Stanley in a nutshell. The irony of it was that, having once met Kimberly’s parents, Alura knew them to be very nice, down-to-earth people, how they had produced a daughter who saw other people only as things to use and abuse was a complete and total mystery.

Currently, Kimberly now glowered at Alura from atop the perch of her three inch heels, looking down her nose—which had probably been worked on—at the girl

“Alana” she sneered

“Yeah?” Alura asked, having given up on trying correcting people on how her name was pronounced “help you?” she asked

“I see you’re planning on attending the dance”

Alura looked back at the poster “Maybe,” she shrugged “what’s it to you?”

Kimberly huffed “I don’t know where you get off on putting your name on that wall, but you’re not going to win,” she sneered “there’s only one Spring Fling Queen this year”

“What wall?” Alura asked “what are you talking about?”

Kimberly huffed and pointed to another poster nearby the one announcing the dance. On it was a list of nominees for Spring Fling Queen and in the first place was the name ‘ALURA OLSEN’.

Alura stared at the poster, open-mouthed, as Kimberly and her entourage stalked away…

******

CJ looked up as Alura plopped down across from in the cafeteria during Free Period

“So, do I bow to you now or do I kneel?” she asked

“You put my name on that list, didn’t you?” Alura hissed “didn’t you?!”

“I... _may_ have spoken to a few people on the committee” CJ allowed, quickly ducking as Alura hurled a fork at her head

“I’ll kill you later,” Alura grumbled as she tore open her lunch bag and took a vicious bite out of a sandwich worthy of Dagwood Bumstead “why the fuck would anyone vote for _me?_ ” she wondered around a mouthful of cold cuts “I’m not popular, and I sure as hell ain’t glamorous”

“That’s _why_ people are voting for you,” CJ explained “look, the Spring Fling is the first dance of the new year, and people don’t want to just keep being stuck in the same box that they were stuck in last year. So, they want somebody different for the dance queen, i.e. you. You’re the rebel, the nonconformist, the battle cry as the common man _launches_ himself against the Bastille, razing it to the ground, crying _liberté, égalité, fraternité!’_ ”

“You _really_ need to stop watching PBS” Alura sighed

“Well, look at it this way,” CJ shrugged “do _you_ want to see Kimberly Stanley win yet _another_ popularity contest simply because people are too scared to say ‘no’ to her?”

“No,” Alura sighed “but I don’t want to see _me_ winning in her place either!”

“Well, in that case, you’re screwed, cuz” CJ shrugged

“Well, what about you?” Alura wondered “aren’t you going?”

“God no!” CJ screwed up her face “for one thing I don’t have a date”

“What happened to Jeremy?” Alura wondered “ _please_ tell me that he did _not_ break up with you?” she groaned "I'm going to have to break his legs now, you know that right?"

“Will you relax?” CJ rolled her eyes “we’re still dating, so don’t go breaking his legs just yet—”

“Who said I was going to break just his legs?”

“…he’s parents are taking him and his asshole brother camping, so he’ll be gone during the day of the dance”

“Well, in that case—”

“Please stop,” CJ requested “the only thing even _more_ embarrassing or humiliating than going to a high school dance stag is going with your cousin”

******

As Alura left History Class, she suddenly spotted Cassie standing off by her own locker. Taking a breath, she squared her shoulders and walked over, her knees feeling like warm Jell-O

“Cassie” she called out. Cassie looked up, and instantly deflated

“I’m not supposed to talk to you” she mumbled as she stared down at her brown, sensible loafers

“Forget what your Mom wants,” Alura dismissed “what do _you_ want? Do you want to go to the dance with me? Yes or no?”

Cassie bit her lip “...yes” she finally nodded

“OK then,” Alura nodded, immensely relieved “OK, that’s good, cool”

“Won’t, won’t your parents be upset?” Cassie asked

“Why would they be upset?” Alura wondered

“Well, I mean…you’re taking…a, another girl to the dance” Cassie mumbled

“Boy, you really haven’t met my parents have you?” Alura chuckled “relax, kid, they’ll just be happy I have a date. So, let’s say around….seven or so?”

Cassie nodded “OK…uh, do, do I pick you up or…?”

“Hmm, I’ll pick you up,” Alura decided “see you then”

As she walked away she suddenly skidded to a stop as CJ cornered her

“I saw that,” CJ proclaimed. She suddenly yanked Alura into a tight, bone-crushing hug which Alura was only able to withstand—barely—by virtue of being half-Kryptonian “oh! My baby cousin’s got a date!” CJ squealed “I’m so happy I could cry!”

“Please don’t,” Alura pleaded “if anyone’s going to cry it’ll be me,” she pushed at CJ’s shoulder “you’re squeezing too tight!”

“Oh! Sorry!” CJ backed off “sorry, but…I’m just so happy for you!”

“No hugging!” Alura warned as CJ reached for her again

“Right! Sorry”

“Now, let’s just hope this actually goes according to plan” Alura huffed

“As long as our queen bee keeps her mouth shut---”

“Which she won’t”

“Nope,” CJ agreed. She gave her cousin a pat on the shoulder “start praying, friend”

“I already do, five times a day” Alura huffed out...


	46. Matters of Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update! Short but necessary I thought, enjoy! :=)

******

Rolling up her prayer rug after finishing her morning prayers, Alura frowned and thoughtfully hefted her _Qur’an_. It was a worn, slightly crumpled English translation that she had found wedged behind several other books at CJ’s. Like many people, Alura had not seeking faith when she had found it, she had never been inside of a _mosque_ , or visited the Holy City, or had even been raised with any particular religious upbringing. James had been raised as a lapsed Baptist, Kara still followed Rao and his Light, Astra apparently had never been very religious, and CJ…well, to be honest she wasn’t sure what CJ was religious-wise, she seemed to straddle a border between Judaism, Buddhism, and elements of Hinduism.

But Alura had been raised without any real religious influence. She had merely skimmed through the book at first out of curiosity, but the more she read, the more she _understood_ , the more she _listened_.

She had never been particularly interested in reading, she didn’t hate it or have difficulty with it, it just never appealed to her; she was the type of person who could never get completely lost in a book, now matter how well-written it was. But this book had drawn her in, the words of the Prophet made sense to her in a way that nothing else had before.

And although she had yet to perform the _shahada_ , the testimony of her faith, she saw herself as a Muslim, no one could make her say otherwise, could make her think differently, being Muslim was now as integral to her character as her Kryptonian DNA. But she didn’t have blind faith, she was smart enough to know that just because she believed and followed the _Qur’an_ , didn’t mean that others had to..

Smirking to herself, Alura finished rolling up her prayer rug, looking up at the knock at the door, Kara peering around it

“I’m not interrupting anything am I?” she asked

“No, you’re fine, Mom” Alura waved it off

“Good,” Kara stepped into the room fully “is that your…er, prayer rug?”

“Yeah,” Alura quickly unfurled the rug again, gently laying it down on the floor to show the design “found it at the flea market with CJ, actually” she explained 

“It’s beautiful” Kara exclaimed

“Thanks, I thought so,” Alura chuckled. She frowned “Mom…are you and Dad really OK with…this?”

“It’s what you believe, right?” Kara asked, Alura nodded “then that’s good enough for me and your Dad”

Alura nodded “Then…I have a favor to ask of you” she began

“Sure,” Kara nodded “anything”

“I want you two to witness my testimony”

“Testimony? I don’t understand”

“In Islam, there’s something called the ‘shahada’, or ‘testimony’,” Alura began “basically its where I pledge my faith to Allah and Mohammed, it’s the only thing I really need to do to fully convert to Islam”

“I see,” Kara nodded slowly “and you…want _us_ to be your witnesses?”

Alura nodded “You’re the two people I trust the most, even more than CJ” she explained

“Oh,” Kara swept her up in a hug “we’d be honored” she whispered…

******

In a few seconds, both James and Kara stood in the room with Alura as she spread the prayer rug on the floor, facing East, gently wrapped her _hijab_ round her head, and opened the book. Taking a steadying breath she glanced at her parents, seeing only encouragement on their faces, nothing more, nothing less.

Straightening her spine and squaring her shoulders, she opened the book and, tracing her finger across the page, recited

“ _’lā liāh ‘illa liāh muhammadu rasūiu liāh’_ ”

Slowly she let out a breath as she stood up, feeling a sense of…completeness settle on her

“Is…is that it?” Kara asked uncertainly

Alura chuckled “That’s it, Mom,” she confirmed “I am now officially a Muslim”

“Oh,” Kara nodded “sorry. Guess I was expecting something a bit more…I don’t know…flasher, I guess?”

“Nope,” Alura shook her head “that’s it”

“Well,” James began “I still say this calls for a celebration before school,” he glanced at his watch “we’re early, so…”

Kara and Alura both grinned at each other

“Pancakes!” they both chorused…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Shahada_ : Literally "the testimony" in Arabic. In Islam it is the first and only formal step a Muslim needs to take in order to convert, needing only two witnesses. The translation of what Alura recites is "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of god", I apologize to any Arabic speakers if I got the spelling wrong


	47. School Daze, Part Seven: Head Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FORTY-SEVEN! Enjoy! (Trigger warning for attempted suicide, but don't worry, it's not one of the girls)

******

“Hey, CJ!” Alura waved as she jogged up to her cousin

“Wow, who took you off decaf?” CJ stared at her “you haven’t been this peppy since we were, like, six”

“Hey, don’t kill my buzz, OK?” Alura dismissed “I’ve got a date for tonight. _And,_ ” she lowered her voice and leaned in conspiratorially “I took the _shahada_ ” 

“You did?” CJ asked excitedly “really?”

“Yep”

“Well, all right!” CJ gave her a playful nudge “who were your witnesses?”

“Mom and Dad”

“Was I even _considered_ for the honor at least?”

“You were, but the committee overruled the decision”

“Ah! Damn bureaucrats!” CJ grinned at her as they rounded the corner, with CJ suddenly skidding to a stop “uh-oh”

“What ‘uh=oh’?” Alura demanded "in this family ‘uh-oh’ is never a good sign”

“Uh…well, don’t look now, but…uh…your date looks like she’s about to have a nervous breakdown”

“What?” Alura leaned past her taller cousin and gapped at the image of Cassie curled up on the floor, clearly trying not to cry and failing miserably

“No, Mom,” she hissed into the phone at her ear “I really like her! You can’t stop me from going!” with an angry _scream_ she suddenly surged to her feet and hurled the phone away, where it nearly took off CJ’s head

“Cassie!” CJ marched forward, crossing the distance between them in two quick strides “hey,” she grabbed at Cassie’s arm “hey, come on, just take a breath”

“Stop telling me to ‘take a breath’!” Cassie suddenly growled “god! You’re just like _her!_ ‘Take it easy, Cassie’, ‘you’re overreacting, Cassie’, ‘I know what’s best for you, Cassie’,”

“Your Mom?” Alura asked

“Either that or her fairy godmother” CJ muttered as Cassie suddenly sagged against them 

“Hey, wait,” Alura snapped her fingers “Despera”

“Huh?” CJ asked

“Mrs. Despera, the school counselor,” Alura explained “you remember”

“Oh, yeah, yeah, the skinny redhead,” CJ nodded “Cassie? You want to talk to the counselor?” she offered gently

Cassie just shrugged

******

“Of course, girls, don’t worry,” Mrs. Despera smiled “your friend’s in good hands. Just run along to class, she’ll be fine”

“OK,” CJ sighed “thank you, ma’am”

As the door to Mrs. Despera’s office shut, CJ repressed a shudder. That woman, alien or not, gave her the creeps

“Come on,” Alura sighed “let’s get to class”

“Yeah,” CJ muttered “I’ve got my first day on the soccer team today too” she added as her phone suddenly chirped

> From Winn:  
>  Ur supersuits almost ready don’t ever ask me to do this again

“Everything OK?” Alura asked

“Yeah, just Winn, wants to see if I’d like to play _D &D_ tonight,” CJ lied as she quickly replied “you can come too” she offered

“Nah,” Alura waved a hand “no thanks, I’m geeked out enough just by hanging out with you, thank you very much”

“Hey,” CJ nudged her “what’s going with Cassie is _not_ your fault OK?” she encouraged “OK? It sounds like this has been a long time coming…”

******

CJ tugged on her uniform jersey, it was a tight on her, most sixteen year old girls weren’t as tall as she was, after all. Colored a dark sky blue, with black shorts and socks, the jersey proudly boasted the name of the team, the ‘Wolves’, complete with a small wolfs head emblem on the left breast, the wolf was growling at the world, a flaming soccer ball held in its jaws. Not exactly a cute and cuddly mascot, but it made an impression that was for sure, the Wolves had won almost every championship for the past ten years, so a bit of boasting was expected

“And now, here’s CJ Danvers, ready to completely ruin that winning streak” CJ muttered as she took a breath and marched out of the locker room and onto the field

“Danvers,” Coach McKenna waved “good to see you, kid,” she firmly shook CJ’s hand “now, don’t expect to get on the team right away,” she warned “a lot of first-timers spent their time as benchwarmers, no need to get mad about that”

“No, that’s fine,” CJ shook her head “I’m just glad to be here”

Coach McKenna chuckled “You know, a lot of people have said that to me over the years,” she began “but you’re the first one I actually believe,” she shook her head “rumor has it that you’re a bit of an odd duck, Danvers”

 _’You have no idea’_ CJ thought, but instead, said aloud

“Aren’t we all, Coach?”

Coach McKenna chuckled “Go and sit down, I’ll see if I can work you in today” she instructed as she went off, blowing her whistle to get the team’s attention

“Hey”

CJ looked up to see Alura plop down next to her

“Hey,” CJ repeated “what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I thought I’d support you, you know,” Alura rolled her eyes “geez, maybe I’ll just forget it”

“Sit down you drama queen,” CJ sighed, with an eye roll of her own “hey,” CJ frowned and pointed back at the main building of the school “isn’t that Cassie?” she asked

Alura frowned, engaging her super vision “Yeah,” she nodded “why is she on…the roof?”

The girls looked at each other with a growing sense of horror

“You don’t think…?” CJ hedged

“She did seem pretty upset” Alura noted uncomfortably

“Let’s go” CJ nodded. Making sure that they weren’t being watched, they both took off in two bursts of superspeed, easily climbing to the roof of the school in a matter of seconds

“Cassie?” Alura cautiously called out. She could have been overreacting, maybe Cassie just liked the view, maybe she liked how peaceful and quiet it was up here

And maybe pigs would fly and Lillian Luthor would turn pro-alien

“Cassie?” CJ tried “you OK?”

“ _…no,_ ” Cassie answered in a hollow voice “I’m not”

“Could, could you come down here?” Alura asked “I, uh, I don’t like heights” which wasn’t a lie, even though a fall off the Empire State Building would probably only give her a bruise, Alura Olsen had never liked heights. CJ could fly around all she wanted, but not her, no siree, as far as Alura was concerned she hoped she _never_ learned how to fly

“Why?” Cassie whispered “why bother? I have no friends, my mother keeps trying to make me into something I’m not. Why?”

“That’s not true,” CJ shook her head “first of all, you do have friends, you got me and Alura. Second, your Mom just wants what’s best for you, OK?” by this point both girls were now slowly flanking Cassie, each of them poised to use those ‘faster than a speeding bullet’ reflexes to grab Cassie if she decided to go through with it “come on,” CJ implored “come on down,” when Cassie didn’t budge, she changed tactics “hey, you wanted to go to the dance with Alura, right? Well, you can’t do that if go through with this”

With an audible whimper, Cassie slowly stumbled back off the ledge and fell back into the girl’s arms

“I’ll call an ambulance” Alura reached for her phone

“No,” CJ shook her head “call, J’onn. Whatever caused this was definitely not Human”

“How can you be so sure?” Alura wondered

“Humans don’t leave glowing red handprints on people” CJ replied, nodding to Cassie’s shoulder, where a red handprint still faintly glowed on her skin…


	48. In the Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FORTY-EIGHT! Enjoy! :=)

******

“Where’s Ms. Sandsmark now?” J’onn asked as he, Kara, Alex, Astra, and CJ and Alura all gathered around the operations table at the DEO

“National City General, on psych watch” CJ answered

“CJ, are you sure you could sense an alien presence?” Alex asked

“I could _feel_ it coming off her in waves, Mom,” CJ nodded “somebody or something got inside Cassie’s head and played pinball with her brain”

“Which means that we’re dealing a telepath,” J’onn sighed “and a powerful one at that, in order to be able to override the self-preservation instinct, even temporarily”

“What about this school counselor you mentioned?” Alex wondered

“Despera?” CJ asked, she shrugged “I guess, I means she certainly _feels_ alien to my Martian senses”

“Hmm,” J’onn pulled out a tablet and tapped a few commands in “here,” he handed it to CJ “that is the full list of Fort Rozz escapees that we haven’t captured yet,” he explained “anyone look familiar?”

CJ slowly scrolled through the list with Alura, before they both shook their heads “No” CJ answered

“Doesn’t mean anything,” J’onn dismissed “our alien’s prisoner file could have been corrupted in the crash. Lots of them were, your Mother’s included”

“Yeah,” Alex added “her entire file just says ‘GEN Str’. Not exactly a good source of information”

“That still doesn’t tell us _why_ ,” CJ sighed “let’s say that it _is_ Despera, OK, so…what’s her motivation? Why a school?”

“Oh no,” they all turned at the groan from Alura “I know why,” she sighed “food”

CJ and Alex stared at each other “A vampire” CJ realized

“Except instead of feeding on blood, she feeds on _emotion_ ,” Astra realized “negative emotions. Misery, anguish, despair”

“And what better place to find lots of misery, anguish, and despair than in a high school?” Kara growled “she’s got a perfect feeding ground”

“And the perfect cover,” J’onn growled “anytime a student acts out, their sent to this counselor”

“Start with the troubled kids,” Alura added “the outcasts, the losers,” she shivered “god, this could have been _me_. Hell, it _could_ have been me,” she realized “all that anger and self-loathing I was feeling, what if that was _her?_ ”

“Don’t think like that,” J’onn warned “once you start thinking like that you’ll never stop” he advised

“Hey,” Kara pulled her daughter close “you saved Cassie’s life, OK? That has to count for something”

“Still, I was the one who suggested sending her to see the counselor in the first place” Alura grumbled

“You couldn’t have know” Kara reminded her

“Besides,” CJ added “Despera didn’t arrive at the school until _after_ your meltdown at CatCo—ohhh, I’m a genius!” she quickly hunched over the tablet J’onn had handed her “OK, let’s go back about a year and cross-reference the number of teen suicides with how many high schools got new counselors, and,” the tablet chirped “ah-ah,” she held it up “in the last year, three high schools in National City all got new counselors, and as soon as they did the number of suicides among the student body rose. And then, when the counselors left, usually claiming that the rash of suicides had made them uncomfortable…”

“The numbers dropped down back to normal” Alex finished

“And in just under twelve hours there is going to be an entire gym full of angsty teenagers” Alura added

“Great,” CJ sighed “well, what’s a high school dance in National City without an alien emotion vampire on the loose?”

“So…how do we stop her?” Kara wondered “do we shut down the dance?”

“No,” Alex shook her head “we may be the DEO, but we still need probable cause, a teenage girl attempting to kill herself sadly doesn’t qualify”

“The dance, or rather the ticket sales, serves as a major source of revenue for the school,” Astra pointed out “I highly doubt that the school’s going to risk having to give that money back all on a hunch. Which, sadly, is all that this is”

“Well, we have to do _something_ ” Alura exclaimed

“For now,” J’onn sighed “all we can do is wait…”

******

National City General Hospital’s psych ward was one of the best in the country, due in part, unfortunately, to all the sheer _weirdness_ that came with living in a city where an alien superhero had made her home.

Shuffling forward into the visitor’s area on numb knees, Alura quickly spotted her target

“Dr. Sandsmark?” the woman looked up “sorry, uh, you don’t really know me, but, um, well, I’m Alura Olsen. I was the girl your daughter was going to dance with tonight. Uh,” she awkwardly fiddled with the chap bouquet of flowers in her hands “thought I’d I drop this off” she explained lamely

“Cassie never knew her father,” Dr. Sandsmark began “its always just been the two of us. She’s all I have”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Alura apologized as she sat down in the uncomfortable chair next to the older woman “but…you can’t keep…controlling her,” the woman glowered at her, before suddenly sagging “she’s not a kid anymore,” Alura continued “she needs to make her own path in life”

“How old are you?” Dr. Sandsmark asked

“Fifteen”

Dr. Sandsmark chuckled “Well,” she began “right now, Ms. Olsen, you’re about twenty times as smarter than all these so-called ‘experts’. They all think that Cassie did this to try and get attention”

“I don’t think that’s true” Alura shook her head

“I don’t think so either,” Dr. Sandsmark nodded “I know why she did this: me. I was so overbearing, so controlling, I couldn’t accept that she’d grow up and leave me one day”

“You think that she’ll hate you?” Alura asked

“Doesn’t she all ready?” Dr Sandsmark scoffed

“No,” Alura shook her head “I think she loves you, but I think that she feels that you don’t understand her, she’s mad and angry that you still treat her like a little kid who doesn’t know any better”

Sensing that she had said enough, Alura stood up, gesturing to the flowers “give those to her from me, please?” she requested, Dr. Sandsmark merely nodded dimly as Alura trudged over to where James was waiting

“You OK?” he asked

“No,” she sighed “but I’ll be better once we find and kick this alien’s ass”

“Good to hear,” James nodded “because your Mom has a plan…”

******

“So, wait,” Alura shook her head “your plan is just to put a bunch of neural disruptors all over the gym?”

“Unless you have a better idea” J’onn shrugged

“No. Not really”

“The disruptors should—and that’s a big ‘should’—hopefully make it so that Despera can’t use her powers,” CJ explained “we got a hold of Cassie’s file from NC General. Apparently, Despera doesn’t just _feed_ off negative emotions, she can _cause_ as well”

“How do you know that?” Alura asked, CJ held up a file

“CT scans of Cassie’s brain and her blood work show that she has a extreme chemical imbalance in her brain,” she explained “basically your girlfriend developed clinical depression and suicidal tendencies in less than an hour”

“Definitely not normal,” Alura noted “what can I do to help?” 

“Pray that this will work” J’onn answered grimly…


	49. Messages from the Edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and James infiltrate the dance, CJ tries to give Alura a pep talk, and then they both get a surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FORTY-NINE! Enjoy! :=)

******

The Spring Fling had been going on its second hour when Kara and James came in. Officially, they were here to chaperon (which wasn’t a lie, they had volunteered to chaperon the dance), unofficially they were here to find, and kick, some alien ass. Well, Kara was anyway, James’ only success with kicking alien ass had been a brief moment of lunacy when he and Kara had started dating, where he had decided—rather foolishly—to be a superhero, even attempting to convince Winn to make him a suit. Fortunately for all involved, Winn had tattled on him to Kara and—worse—Alex and Astra. The three women had promptly descended on him like a plague and had all but threatened to _eviscerate_ him if he went through with it.

Needless to say, he didn’t go through it, and looking back on it sixteen years later, had to wonder just _what the hell_ he’d been thinking. Of course, when the Daxamites invaded later that year, he had gotten his chance to kick alien ass anyway.

“See her yet?” Kara whispered, breaking James out of his thoughts

“No,” he answered “you?”

“No, but I see something” she nodded

“Like what?” James asked

“Food” she answered, making a beeline to the buffet table

James just rolled his eyes…

******

Meanwhile, back at the DEO, CJ quietly slipped into the hologram room, mentally sighing as she took in the image of Alura staring at….Alura. The hologram silently stood there, patiently waiting for a question that would never be asked, because Alura had no questions to ask her namesake’s ghost

“I wonder about her, you know” Alura spoke up as she sat on the floor and leaned against the wall, studying the hologram

“Yeah,” CJ sighed as she joined Alura on the floor “me too. Sorry about the dance”

Alura waved a hand “Its fine” she dismissed

“No, its not,” CJ emphasized “you deserve a chance at happiness, Ally, OK? Now, you missed this time, but that doesn’t mean that you should just give up. Maybe, once Cassie gets out of---”

Alura cut her off, laughing bitterly

“Do you _really_ think that her mother’s going to loosen the leash _after_ her daughter just tried to commit suicide?” she scoffed

“You don’t that she won’t” CJ countered

Alura scoffed “Maybe I should ask _her_ ,” she pointed to the hologram “…for dating advice. How do I date someone when I’m an alien?”

“ _”Relationships on Earth are different than those on Krypton,_ ” the hologram suddenly spoke, startling the girls “ _Humans place less emphasis on ritual and tradition than we did,_ ” it continued “ _however, their thinking is less rigid than ours, they are more open to new ideas and concepts than we were, less concerned with their own superiority. Have faith, child, in time, you will find love_ ”

The girls slowly stood up, staring at the hologram

“It said…’child’,” CJ realized “not ‘daughter’.”

“So? Child, daughter, same thing” Alura dismissed

“No,” CJ shook her head “not to this thing, it always, _always_ calls Kara ‘daughter’, always”

“So? It knew I wasn’t her daughter”

CJ shook her head “It doesn’t work that way; it only differentiates between Kara and everybody else. It wouldn’t have called you ‘child’, because it doesn’t _know_ that you’re a child. The same with Mother, it doesn’t question the fact that she’s no longer in Fort Rozz, even when she asks it about Fort Rozz escapees, because it’s not smart enough to know the difference, it knows that Astra is her sister only in the most basic of senses. There’s no emotional attachment. It doesn’t see Mother as a _person_ , just as information that matches up with what’s in its memory”

Alura slowly approached the hologram “Do you know who I am?” she asked

“ _Yes. You are ‘Alura Olsen’, daughter of Kara Zor-El and James Olsen_ ” the hologram answered

Alura frowned and then pointed at CJ “Who’s she?”

“ _She is ‘Connor Jeremiah Danvers’, daughter of Astra In-Ze and Alexandra Danvers, heir to the House of In-Ze_ ” came the response

“How the hell does it know that?” Alura hissed

CJ frowned, smirking as she approached the hologram “You’re not really a hologram, are you?” she chuckled

The hologram suddenly turned to look directly at her

“ _Your cousin has her answer, Ms. Danvers. I suggest she act on it_ ”

******

James sighed as he munched on some rather bland chips and dip. He grimaced as he watched Kara load up her plate with virtually one of everything on the table. She already had a plate in each hand, and James had no doubt that, unless they found Despera, she would be coming back for more

“The food’s not even that good” he objected

“So? It’s food!” she exclaimed

“Ugh, maybe it’s a good thing that Alura and CJ aren’t here,” he decided “they’d probably have picked the table clean by now”

******

“How the fuck is this possible?” Alura hissed as the hologram turned to look at her

“Neural ghosting,” CJ replied “the hologram was made by scanning the original Alura Zor-El’s brain, essentially making a copy of her mind onto a computer. Her consciousness must have just been…dormant all these years, until something woke it up”

“Something? Like what?” Alura hissed

CJ smirked “It was Astra wasn’t it?” she asked

The hologram smirked “ _Very astute, Ms. Danvers,_ ” it commented “ _much like your mother_ ”

“I don’t get it,” Alura shook her head “why not tell anyone?”

“Because it’s not really her,” CJ realized “she’s just an…echo, an imprint of the original Alura Zor-El. Not quite sentient, but far past AI”

******

Kara froze, mid-chew at a sudden presence behind her

“Ah,” a woman’s voice purred “I thought I sensed something of Krypton in that girl…Mrs. Olsen…was it?” Kara slowly turned around “or should I call you ‘Kara Zor-El’ instead?” Mrs. Despera continued

“Why are you doing this?” Kara asked, as James tensed beside her, but remained by her side

“Kryptonians,” Despera scoffed “so self-righteous, but yet so eager to distance themselves from their own, hedonistic _ilk_ ”

“Daxamites” James realized

“Yes,” Despera hissed “they came to our world. We were a peaceful people then, we’d never known war or crime. But once those monsters came we knew. We knew all too well”

“They used you as slaves” James reasoned

“ _Worse_ than slaves!” Despera hissed “they used us as _narcotics_ , forcing us to use our mental powers to give them pleasure. And when we refused, they slaughtered us by the thousands. We’d never known war, how could we fight back? What we called ‘unimaginable horror’, they called ‘sport!’,” she took a shuddering breath “but then…then, one day, as my master forced me to service him again, I found the secret. Instead of giving him pleasure, I gave him _despair_ , I channeled all the grief and anguish my people suffered at the hands of his own and threw it back at him. Imagine my surprise when I found that I _enjoyed_ it, that I enjoyed watching him scream and sob in despair?”

“I’m sorry,” Kara apologized “but, what you’ve done to these people, these _children_ , won’t undo what they did to your people”

“Undo?” Despera echoed “oh, no. No, why would I want to undo what I did?” she chuckled “you see, after I was finished playing with my new Daxamite toy, I tried to show my people how to play as well. They called me a monster. So…I played with them as well. After all, they were only things”

“You’re insane” James hissed

“To you maybe,” she acknowledged “and about you, Mr. Olsen? Think about your father lately? Tell me, what did it feel like when he died?”

“You can’t do this,” Kara hissed “the neural---”

“Oh,” Mrs. Despera held up one of the neural disruptors that had been placed around the gym “looking for these?” her hand suddenly lashed out, seizing Kara’s arm and pinning her to the table “aren’t you a ripe one,” she hissed “last daughter of Krypton? Last of her House? Betrayed by her own mother? Learning that her own aunt was a criminal? Oh…I’m going to enjoy playing with you, Kara Zor-El…”

******

CJ looked down as her phone buzzed

“Damn it, telepathic field at the school” she hissed

“Despera” Alura realized

They both looked back at the hologram “ _Go,_ ” it said “ _protect your family_ ”

“Thank you,” CJ panted out as they exited the room, easily entering Command via superspeed “J’onn!” CJ called out

“We know,” Astra answered “James already signaled,” she tapped her ear “we’re moving out now” she explained

“We’re coming with you” CJ argued

“Absolutely not!” J’onn barked “you two are staying here where this… _evil_ can’t touch you”

“J’onn, this is our fault,” Alura hissed “if we hadn’t sent Cassie to see Despera none of this might be happening. This is our fault. You have to let us help”

J’onn glowered at them as CJ looked at her mothers "We're going to go whether you want us to or not" she reminded them

“Fine” Astra sighed

“But you follow our orders to the letter” Alex added

J’onn merely scowled “Let’s move, people!” he ordered…


	50. Fear Her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! Chapter FIFTY!!!!!!! WHOOO!!! :=)

******

Despera let out a startled shriek as James suddenly threw the punch bowl in her face, smashing the empty bowl down on her head for good measure. As she spluttered and swiped at her eyes, shards of broken plastic littering her hair, he grabbed Kara’s arm and yanked her away

“You OK?” he asked

“Yeah,” she looked pale and weak, visibly shivering “yeah, yeah. I’m good,” she glanced down at her dress, now stained with bright red punch “think I better change” she added, smirking

“Yeah, probably” James chuckled, he leaned in a gave her a quick peek on the cheek “be careful” he urged

She grinned at him “Always” she chuckled as some students hurried over to Despera, asking if she was all right

“Stay back!” James called out. One girl let out a gasp as Despera’s hand suddenly seized her arm, the girl choking and gagged as tears ran down her face, falling to her knees, sobbing

“Are you afraid?” Despera mocked her latest victim “afraid of what I’m doing? Of what you’re feeling?” the girl nodded as she began sobbing harder “good,” Despera purred “all good little toys should be afraid” as James watched other people in the room began to fall to the floor, some sobbed, others began prayering, but all were clearly being affected by Despera’s powers

“Hey!”

James turned at the shout as Kara, now clad in her supsuit, landed behind Despera

“Let her go” she growled. With a snarl, Despera suddenly threw her latest victim away and lunged for Kara, hitting her with something that was not quite, but still close to, superspeed. As Kara fell back, coughing from the impact, Despera suddenly seized her arm, and Kara gasped as all of her memories of her mother, all the feelings of isolation, of loneliness, of hurt and betrayal came surging to the surface at full force

“Oh, yes!” Despera hissed “yes! I’ll enjoying playing with you! All that fear, all that anger,” she cackled “forget about friends,” she hissed as Kara staggered to her knees, panting hard as waves of pure anguish washed over her “forget about family. Forget about love. You’re…all… _mine!_ ”

The ceiling suddenly exploded in. J’onn, Astra, CJ and Alura all landing hard on the floor, splintering the floorboards as they landed.

Growling, Astra charged, slamming into Despera, but only succeeding in getting caught as well, gasping as she fell to her knees besides Kara, Despera’s other hand firmly wrapped around her arm

“Oh, even riper,” she hissed “I’ve heard about you, Astra In-Ze. The Fort Rozz escapees talk about you often, about how strong you are, how defiant. Well, if only they could see you now”

“You’re…an…animal” Astra panted out as she slumped over onto the floor, curling into a ball next to Kara, both of them whimpering

“Stay away from my family!” J’onn growled as he marched forward, CJ and Alura flanking him

“Oh, yes, the Martian,” Despera chuckled “oh, it’s a pity I can’t play with you. But I can still have my fun,” she held a small, metallic, triangular device, a yellow-red light shimmering at it’s to. Instantly J’onn froze, gasping as he shuddered, sinking to his knees as he shifted into his natural form “a White Martian trader gave me this,” Despera explained as James hurried over to the girls, helping them to catch J’onn as he fell to the floor, shuddering and jerking “they used to control the Greens. It traps its subject in their own personal nightmare. Fun, isn’t it?”

“You’re insane” CJ growled as she got to her feet, Alura joining her

“Oh, and you think a little Human like you can stop my playtime?” Despera mocked

CJ smirked “I’m not Human,” she explained “not even close,” with a growl she shot forward at superspeed, phasing through Despera and knocking the device out of her hands, tossing it towards Alura “catch!”

Alura lunged, catching the device and crushing it in her hands, J’onn visably jerked and then gasped for breath, struggling to try and sit up. Alura grunted as Despera suddenly slammed into her, pinning her to the floor by her throat

“So, you’re the heir to the great House of El, are you?” she mocked “well, let’s play!” her hand tightened on Alura’s throat, but then she suddenly stopped “why isn’t it working?” she hissed “why can’t I play with you?!” she demanded

Alura smirked “Because I have faith” she explained, grunting she threw Despera off her, quickly climbing to her feet

“See,” CJ began as she joined Alura “we had a theory…well, I had a theory, anyway…your powers only work if your victims already on that brink anyway. You can cause feelings of grief and anguish, but only if your intended victim was already feeling them to begin with. My cousin here,” she patted Alura on the shoulder “has found faith, she’s found comfort in religion, inner peace”

“And you can’t make someone feel despair if they have inner peace” Alura added

“In short,” CJ began “you lose”

Despera cackled again “Do you really think that a _child_ like you can stop me? I’ve played with other Kryptonians! I’ve made them all dance! Fear me!”

“Fear me,” CJ stated calmly “I’m the daughter of the woman who invented Myriad. You think that ruthlessness just stopped with her?” she suddenly lunged, slamming her hands down on either side of Despera’s head, her eyes glowing red. Instantly Despera gagged, gasping as CJ pushed into her mind. She struggled to stay on her feet, even as her knees buckled. Lights suddenly blew out in a shower of sparks, the air suddenly seeming charged with electricity

“James!” James turned as Alex hurried in “what the hell is she doing?!” she demanded as she watched the strange mental duel between CJ and Despera

“I don’t know” James panted out as Alura hurried over

“Dad! You OK?!” she asked

“I’m fine,” James panted out “are you OK?”

“I’m good,” Alura nodded “come on,” she grunted as she lifted Kara into her arms “let’s get them out of here”

“Wait! What is CJ doing?!” Alex demanded

“Leveling the playing field!” Alura explained as CJ suddenly let out an angry bellow, both she and Despera suddenly being flung away from each other

“CJ?!” Alex sprinted forward, gasping as CJ slowly sat up, coughing “hey, hey, are you OK?!” Alex sank to her knees, gathering her daughter up

“I’m…I’m OK, Mom,” CJ panted out “bit of a headache”

“Alex?” they both turned to see Astra and Kara slowly getting to their feet “what, what happened?” Kara asked

Alex looked down at CJ “I think…our daughter just saved everyone” she whispered

“Well, I had to do _something_ ” CJ chuckled as she shakily climbed to her feet, Astra and Alex hurrying to help her “J’onn?” CJ called out

“I’m all right,” J’onn panted out as he shifted back into Human form “that,” he began as he climbed to his feet on shakily legs “was incredibly risky, what you just did”

CJ shook her “Couldn’t just sit around and do nothing”

“Boy scout” Alura teased, even though she was tightly clutching CJ’s arm, clearly scared at having almost lost her cousin

A groan made them all look over as Despera slowly sat. She blinked once as she stared at CJ

“What are you?” she hissed “what will you become?!”

“I’m the heir to the House of In-Ze” CJ replied

Despera stared at her, seeming to absorb that information, before she began screaming in terror…


	51. Picking Up the Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now it's time to pick up the pieces that Despera left behind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FIFTY-ONE!! Enjoy! :=)

******

“So…what exactly did you do to her?” Alura asked as they all stared at the image of Despera sitting in a holding cell, curled up in a corner, mumbling and muttering to herself, clearly having lost whatever grip of reality she had had

“I…just…took all the fear and pain of her victims and threw it back at her” CJ shrugged

“I thought you couldn’t read minds?” Kara piped up

“She can’t,” J’onn nodded “but there’s a difference between reading someone’s mind and actually connecting with it. Reading someone’s mind requires that you have the ability to actually pick up others stray thoughts, connecting with someone’s mind just means that you have the ability to make that mental connection, which CJ has, as long as she’s in physical contact with the subject”

“…and I concentrate hard enough,” CJ added “Despera’s own telepathy helped, too”

"So, what happened to the other kids?" Kara asked

"Fortunately, they don't seem to remember much, if anything, of the ordeal," J'onn explained "so, I don't think they'll remember CJ and Alura using their powers"

"Well, at least that's something" Alex muttered

“What’s going to happen to her?” Alura wondered, nodding towards Despera

“Don’t really know,” J’onn shrugged “what CJ did seems to have fractured whatever was left of her sanity; she may just spend the rest of her life in that cell”

“That’s far too good for her” Astra growled out

“Agreed, but what can we do?” J’onn shrugged “there isn’t exactly a legal precedent for ‘telepathic assault’.”

“But there _is_ a precedent for assault and coercion,” Lucy added, she smirked “I’ll contact the Attorney General’s office, see what I can do about bringing federal charges” she nodded as she walked away

“How are you doing?” Kara asked, gently resting a hand on Alura’s shoulder

“I feel like crap” her daughter sighed

“And how’s Cassie?”

Alura shrugged “Don’t know” she admitted

Kara smiled “Why don’t you find out?” she suggested…

******

Cassie had been moved from the psych ward to the ICU by the time that Alura and Kara stepped off the elevator. Stopping at the nurse’s station they both signed in, were given sticky visitors badges, and directed to the room in question.

Knocking on the door, Kara cautiously opened it and peered inside

“Hello?” she called out

“Yes?” Dr. Sandsmark looked up

“Oh,” Kara slowly pushed the door open “are you Dr. Sandsmark? Cassie’s mother?”

“Yes,” Dr, Sandsmark frowned at her “who are you?”

“Oh, sorry,” Kara felt her face heat up “I’m, uh, I’m Alura Olsen’s Mom, Kara Danvers,” she explained “uh…can we…come in? Is that all right?”

Dr. Sandsmark smiled “Of course, please” she invited. Kara and Alura quickly shuffled in, both smiling shyly at Cassie, who was looking a lot better

“Uh, anyway,” Kara began “well, as you may know, uh, Alura invited Cassie out to the dance at the school, and well…after what happened today, it’s being rescheduled for next week, and I was wondering—well, me and my husband—were wondering, that is, if---”

“You want to know if I’ll consider letting Cassie go to the dance with your daughter” Dr. Sandsmark finished

“Yes, ma’am” Kara mumbled, feeling like _she_ was the one asking for a date

Dr. Sandsmark smiled “Of course she may”

Alura’s head snapped up “Wha---really?” she asked

“Mom?” Cassie asked

“You save my daughter’s life, Ms. Olsen,” Dr. Sandsmark began “and all of this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been so…strict with my daughter,” she smiled at Cassie “starting today, that changes,” explained. She reached out and squeezed Cassie’s hand “you can go to the dance with Alura. If you still want to that is”

Cassie looked up at Alura and suddenly _smiled_ , brilliantly, radiantly “I’d love to” she beamed

“Great!” Kara cheered, clapping her hands together eagerly

“Mom, you _do_ know that _I’m_ the one who’s going on the date, right?” Alura drawled

Kara snorted and just pulled Alura into a one-armed hug “So,” she turned to Dr. Sandsmark “let’s say next week? Around…seven or so?”

Dr. Sandsmark nodded “Seven it is, Ms. Danvers”

“Well, we’ll let you two get some rest,” Kara smiled, giving Cassie a little wave as she and Alura quietly backed out of the room. Once out in the corridor, Kara grinned and yanked Alura into a bear hug “oh! My baby’s first date!” she squealed “oh! I’m so excited!!”

“I’m not,” Alura groaned as Kara set her down again “that means I have to get a dress”

“So?” Kara scoffed as she pushed for the elevator “you could always ask me, you know” she hinted

“No offense, Mom, but you dress like somebody’s grandma”

“Gee thanks,” Kara muttered as they stepped inside the elevator “OK, well what about---”

“CJ dresses like an escapee from some Jane Austin novel”

“I think you mean ‘Bronte sisters novel’.”

“Whatever”

“OK, well---”

“Alex and Astra I don’t even know what a dress is” Alura interrupted as they got off on the first floor and exited the lobby and walked towards the car

“Well,” Kara sighed as she unlocked the car and they climbed inside “guess that leaves us with only one choice then”

“Guess so” Alura agreed as Kara pulled out her cell phone

“Hi, Lucy? It’s Kara. Listen…I need a favor…”

******

“CJ! Get in here!”

CJ looked up from her book and weighed her options. Option 1): Ignore the call, which would mean that Alex and Astra would come into her room and then lecture her about the books scattered around in a little maze of stacks and make her pick them all up and put them away without superspeed (with Astra standing watch to make sure that she didn’t cheat). Option 2): Ask what they wanted, which would mean that they would just insist that she come out. Option 3): Just get up and go see what they wanted.

She chose Option 3

“Coming!” she called out. Tossing her book aside she climbed off the bed and walked out into the living room, where Alex and Astra both stood by the couch “yeah?” CJ asked

“Sit down” Alex said in a tone that meant business

CJ sat down

“We just had a _very_ interesting conversation with Winn,” Astra began “a very interesting one”

Uh-oh, she was repeating herself for effect. That was never good. Plus CJ had a sinking feeling that she knew what kind of conversation they’d had with Winn, that little blabber mouth. Keeping her face blank (just like Alex taught her) she said

“OK…”

“It seems that you asked him for a favor,” Astra continued “one involving…sewing”

CJ sighed “Look, before you guys say—”

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?!” Alex suddenly bellowed

“Alex, we agreed we weren’t going to yell” Astra sighed

“I didn’t agree to _shit!!”_ ” Alex spat. She whirled back to face CJ “you…he…Mmph!” clearly so mad she couldn’t form an argument, she settled on crossing her arms and scowling

“Now, normally,” Astra began “we would very likely ground you for a century. Possibly even longer. But…given recent…events, we won’t”

CJ blinked “Why?” she asked suspiciously

Alex sighed “Because we trust you,” she began “and we know that you don’t make decisions without thinking them all the way through”

“Plus,” Astra added “we know that once you set your mind on something, nothing, short of possibly the end of the world, could stop you from going ahead with it”

“OK…now I’m confused” CJ admitted

Astra sighed and held out a plain brown paper package to her “Open it” she instructed. Frowning, CJ cautiously opened the package, a bundle of dark blue-grey cloth spilling out into her lap. Unfurling it, she had to gasp at the sight of her imagined supersuit now in full living color. Blinking she looked up at her mothers

“You’re…actually letting me do this?” she asked

“No,” Alex shook her head “we’re not ‘letting’ you do it at all,” she sighed “but, seeing as how a nuclear bomb probably couldn’t stop you, we’re…not stopping you from doing it either”

“What you’re Mom is trying—and failing—to say,” Astra picked up “is that we don’t agree with this, and we will never stop trying to convince _you_ to stop. But…you defeated Despera on your own. CJ you…if you can do that, without fear, without asking for anything in return, then…you can do this”

“But,” Alex added “that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to stop worrying about you”

CJ smiled as she stood up and pulled her mothers into a hug “I wouldn’t ask you to,” she whispered. She frowned as she pulled away “how’d you find out anyway?”

“Alura told us about your…idea” Astra explained

“OK,” CJ nodded “but how’d you find out that Winn was involved?”

“Simple,” Astra chuckled “you can’t sew to save your own life”

“And when we saw the suit, we knew that it couldn’t be for Kara, she’d have been babbling about it for days. It was too big for Alura. And your Mother here just uses her Military Guild uniform” Alex explained

“Hmm,” CJ shrugged “how’d you guys get him to talk anyway?”

Alex and Astra glanced at each other “Well…” they both began…

******

_”I’m going to be a father! I’m going to be a father!” Winn objected as he backed away from Alex and Astra_

_You’re going to be_ dead _if you don’t start talking!” Alex snarled_

_He shook his head “It’s nothing, OK, guys? It’s nothing, just some…you know…harmless imagination, that’s all. Just something to keep my sewing skills sharp” he explained_

_”Then take up quilting,” Astra snarled. She held up the suit “who is this for, Winn?”_ ”

_”I already said, it’s not for anyone” Winn sighed_

_Astra sighed “Alex” she sighed_

_Alex took a step towards Winn_

_”It’s CJ!! OK?! It’s for CJ! She made me do it! I didn’t want to! She made me, OK?! She’s got like…super freaky Martian mind control powers or something!!”_

******

“Let’s just say that he offered up the information freely” Astra finally answered

CJ chuckled “Which one of you threatened him?”

Alex held up a hand “Guilty”

“That figures,” CJ nodded “he’s always been more scared of you than Mother”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded “never could figure out why,” she shook her head “so? You going to try that thing on?” she gestured to the suit still hanging off CJ’s arm

“Oh. Right”

******

The suit was mostly a dark blue, almost black, in color. But in a similar place and shape as the Crest of El on both the front and back, it was a white-grey, extending up to the neck and down the arms to the built=in gloves. The attached hood—also white---had a mask built in that would cover her entire face expect for her eyes. The boots, also built in, were black. CJ had to hand it to Winn, he’d taken her basic design, which had originally been a hoodie, a pair of leggings, and a mask, and turned into something distinct.

Slipping the hood up, she found that he’d even made it so that the mask could be rolled up and tucked into a hidden flap at the suit’s neck, allowing her to take off the mask without removing the hood. She frowned as she shifted in it, it felt heavier than she expected. Holding up a hand, she squinted at it, surprised when her x-ray vision couldn’t penetrate it. Lead. He lined the suit with lead. Not only would it deter x-ray vision, but it would also protect against kryptonite.

Squiring her shoulders, CJ turned and stepped out of her bedroom

“What’d you think?” she asked

Alex and Astra turned, simply staring for a moment

“Looks good” Alex finally said, clearly choking back tears

“Oh, Mom,” CJ surged forward and pulled them both into a hug “guys, this is what I want—what I _need_ —to do,” she explained “and, sure, it may not last. But, for now at least, try to be supportive. Please?”

“We’ll…try,” Astra sighed “but no guarantees. Now, come on, get out of that thing, it’s time for dinner…”

******

“I can’t believe that we just did that” Alex sighed into the darkened bedroom

“I know,” Astra agreed “but, like you said, once she’s set her mind on something, none of us can stop her”

“We could have _tried_ , damn it!” Alex hissed

“Yes,” Astra agreed “we could have. But, then we’d have to endure her resenting us for the rest of our lives. You and I both know that she can hold a grudge”

“I know, I know,” Alex groaned “it’s not just the whole superhero thing, it’s…”

“…she’s growing up,” Astra nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of her wife’s head “all we can do now is just…make sure she doesn’t make any mistakes. That’s all we _can_ do I think”

Alex didn't reply, merely snuggled closer into her wife's embrace...


	52. Stiches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy takes Alura dress shopping, then CJ and Alura have a chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back! Enjoy! :=)

******

A week came and went with surprising quickness, and as it turned out, the dance had been held back for a month due to the repairs on the gym taking longer then expected. But, soon enough, the last week before the dance rolled around

Alura gulped as she found herself standing outside one of the clothing stores in the mall. She liked t-shirts, and blue jeans, and sneakers. The thought of putting on makeup made her skin crawl. Why was she here?

She backed up, grunting as she collided with the solid, none too reassuring form of Lucy Lane.

Lucy gripped her arms “Come on, let’s get it over with” she proclaimed. Growing up, Lucy had been the ‘fun aunt’, Alex had tried but she was too worried of upsetting Kara to really do anything fun aside from letting Alura watch scary movies and eat ice cream for dinner, the same with Kara and CJ.

Lucy, on the other hand, had been really fun. She was the one who taught both girls how to pick a lock, how roller skate (through which she had created and fueled both girls’ passion for roller derby, to the point of the girls actually joining a junior roller derby league), she’d also taught them how to hotwire a car (only to find out that CJ had already learned that from Alex), and even how to field strip an assault rifle (although she wisely stopped at teaching them how to actually shoot it. She wasn’t _stupid_ after all) .

With Lucy of course came Winn (they were a package deal it seemed), who’d happily fed the girls’ appetites for gaming and sci-fi (although Alura wasn’t as big a gamer or sci-fi fan as CJ, although she did like Buffy and The X-Files, mostly because it meant that she could ogle Alyson Hannigan and Gillian Anderson). Now, however, Lucy was a traitor of the highest order as she all but pushed Alura into the store, her sneakers squeaking loudly on the title

“Cone on, work with me, kid,” Lucy grunted “god, you’re heavy”

“Are you calling me fat?!”

Lucy snorted “Yeah, the day you actually put on weight is the day that Lois dyes her hair blonde and actually moves back to the farm with Clark,” she gave Alura a shove “move it!”

Giving up, Alura stomped into the store, suddenly at a total loss. The store was apparently having a sale on dresses. There were all kinds of dresses, in every kind of style and color imaginable, big dresses, little dresses, some so short that it was a wonder they covered anything, others so long they looked like they could double as tents

“OK,” Lucy began “long, short, or medium?”

“Medium” Alura declared, she wanted to be able to move

“Shoulder straps shoulder-less?”

“Shoulders, definitely”

“OK, sleeves or no sleeves?”

Alura frowned “Is there like a…middle ground?” she wondered

“Mm-hmm,” Lucy held up a dress which had short, t-shirt like sleeves on it “good?” she asked

Alura nodded

“All right. Color?”

“Something dark, but not black”

“Hmm,” Lucy frowned as she searched the racks “something dark, but not black…something dark, but not…oh, hey, how ‘bout this?” she held up a simple pencil skirt dress in dark satiny purple with short sleeves

Alura found herself nodding “That could work”

“Well, here, go try it on” Lucy held out the dress

“Try it…on?” Alura squeaked

“Well, yeah,” Lucy nodded “how do you know if you like it if you haven’t tried it on?”

Gulping, Alura took the dress and shuffled over to the changing rooms, feeling someone being walked to the executioner’s block. Shutting the door behind her, she took a breath and then quickly wriggled out of her t-shirt and jeans, and slipped on the dress, scowling when she found that her arms were too short to reach the zipper in the back

“Uh…Lucy?” she called out

“Yeah?” Lucy called out from right outside

“Uh…I need some help in here,” she unlocked the door and then turned around once Lucy walked in “zipper” she grumbled

“Oh, sure,” she felt Lucy’s hands grip the zipper and then pull it up “there. Now turn around, let’s see”

Turning around, Alura cautiously opened her eyes, gaping at the image in the mirror as Lucy gasped

“Is…is that… _me_?” she asked. The girl in the mirror, the lovely, pretty girl in the mirror could not possibly be her. The satiny texture of the dress accented her dark skin, while the dark purple color made her blue eyes stand out even further. The dress’s length, meanwhile, showed off the fact that, yes, she did have legs, rather shapely ones at that

“That’s you,” Lucy confirmed “so…do you like it?”

Alura nodded dimly, still a little too stunned to speak. She’d never had body image issues, she never saw herself as ugly or unattractive, but even so, seeing herself like this was somewhat surprising. Suddenly, she had hips, she had a waist, she had breasts!

“So, do you want it?” Lucy asked

Again, Alura nodded dimly

“Good, now we just need to find some shoes to match” Lucy declared

Alura blinked, looking down at her feet. Despite being only five feet tall, she’d always had rather large feet for a girl of her height and build

“This should be interesting” she grumbled…

******

In the end, although they’d bought the dress—which Lucy put on her card no questions asked—they couldn’t find any shoes to match, partly due to Alura’s refusal to wear heels and the lack of any shoe in her size. Giving up on the shoes, she and Lucy had settled down at the food court, where after Alura devoured half the menu items from every stall there, they’d journeyed to Alex and Astra’s place, hoping to borrow a pair of shoes off CJ.

“Sorry, cuz,” CJ shrugged as she rooted through her closet “all I got is my boots,” she held up her favorite black leather boots “some sneakers,” she held up a worn, half-dead pair of sneakers “and…some fuzzy bedroom slippers,” she held up a pair of bedroom slippers shaped like ducks “no high heels, not even pumps”

“Great,” Alura sighed, flopping down on the bed. She popped open one eye and examined CJ, who, since it was the weekend, was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, with fuzzy socks “you look comfy” she noted

“I am,” CJ nodded, she glanced at the garment bag “hey, can I see it?”

Alura shrugged “Sure” she muttered as CJ eagerly unzipped the bag and pulled out the dress

“Nice,” she nodded as she held it up “very nice. Good color, goes well with your skin tone”

“That’s what they tell me,” Alura grumbled “hey,” she sat up “where’s your dress?”

“Ah, I am recycling one of my old dresses,” CJ explained “Winn’s helping me to alter it”

“Huh” Alura mumbled

“Hmm,” CJ chuckled “I wonder what Cassie’ll wear”

Alura sat up straighter. _Now_ her interest was piqued…


	53. Chrysalis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter fifty-three! Enjoy! :=)

******

After teasing Alura a bit about the fact that she was actually going to wear a dress, CJ had relented, put the dress back in the garment bag, and then settled down with a book.

Alura, left to her own devices, could have just left at that point, but found that she didn’t want to, instead wanting to do something with CJ. Sighing, she looked around the room. CJ’s room, much like it's occupant, was eccentric and slightly scattered. Books littered the otherwise clean floor in various little stacks and towers of varying height, forming a bizarre maze that, amazingly, CJ never tripped over. The same couldn't be said for her parents, Alex in particular.

The walls were painted a soft, dark blue and adorned with various posters _National Geographic_ or from sci-fi movies. A desk—which was almost never used—sat against the wall, its surface littered with more books and various pieces of papers filled with various scribbles. CJ kept swearing that she was going to do _something_ with said papers, but, so far, had yet to think of what that ‘something’ was.

In one corner, by the window, sat the cage containing Flower the ferret, who, as befitting her species, was napping, tiny ferret snores filling the air, while on a low shelf under the windowsill were a series of old Mason jars containing CJ’s butterfly collection, each in various stages of development, some were empty, awaiting a new tenant, others were occupied, the tiny caterpillars wriggling around as the munched on the leaves inside the jars, and others had a cocoon hanging from a twig propped up against the side, hanging there like some kind of earring almost.

It had been Alex who had started CJ on butterfly collecting, having had one herself as a kid, and arguing that it was a good learning experience for CJ to Astra, who—apparently—had once had a bad encounter with a species of giant, sentient insects during her time in the Military Guild (although both Alex and Kara still believed that that was merely a lie, and that Astra was just too proud to admit that she was scared of bugs).

Regardless, CJ’s butterfly collection had steadily grown over the years to the now ten jars sitting on the shelf, and despite her clear revulsion, Astra had done nothing to discourage it, she just simply avoided that area of the room whenever she cleaned.

Alura flopped back onto the soft, leaf green bedspread and stared up at the ceiling, which was painted with a mural of Van Gough’s _Starry Night_. Art had never really interested Alura, not until the last couple of years anyway, but Van Gough’s works had always, from a very young age, struck a cord in her. Maybe it was because he had been a literal tortured artist, maybe it was just because his paintings were just nice little portraits of everyday life, but whatever the reason, she’d grown into a Van Gough enthusiast.

She frowned at the mural above her “This is wrong” she said suddenly

“Huh?” CJ asked, not taking her eyes off the book. Unless something was on fire or an alien had just burst through the wall, not much could pull CJ free from the confines of a book

“The mural,” Alura explained, rolling her eyes at her cousin “this isn’t _Starry Night_ , it’s _Starry Night Over The Rhone_ ”

“Huh?” CJ finally looked up from her book, frowning. Scowling, she got up and, climbing up on the bed, laid down next to Alura and scrutinized the mural

“See?” Alura pointed “the couple there? On the riverbank?”

“I’ll be damned,” CJ muttered, absently adjusting her glasses “huh, sixteen years and I never noticed”

“You know what this means, right?”

CJ nodded “That painter owes Mother about three hundred dollars”

“ _That_ ,” Alura nodded “and you’re blind as a bat for not noticing it,” she yelped as CJ pinched her. Laughing slightly she pouted at her cousin “come on, let’s go do something” she pleaded

“Like what?” CJ asked

“I don’t know, something!” Alura exclaimed “come on! I’m _bored_ , I want to go out and do something!”

CJ rolled her eyes “Oh, good lord, don’t _whine_ , will you?” she grumbled “it’s unbecoming”

“Come on, please?” Alura begged “when have I ever asked you for anything?”

CJ scoffed “Oh really? Well, let’s see, first you asked to borrow my bike when I was ten and then promptly wrecked it. When I was six you ‘asked’ to borrow my book and used it as part of a skateboard ramp. _Then_ \--”

“All right, all right,” Alura rolled her eyes “geez!” she frowned “hey! What about roller derby?” she suggested

“There isn’t a bout planned for, like, another three weeks” CJ objected

“Alex! Thank god! I’ve got news!”

The girls both looked up at Kara’s voice

“What’s going on?” CJ wondered

“Donno, let’s go see,” Alura eagerly scurried off the bed and hurried out into the living room “Mom?” she asked, finding Alex and Kara in the middle of the room, Kara just vibrating with excitement, which could mean anything from finding out that she had still had some surviving family from Krypton, to a new restaurant opened up. Honestly it was an even split “uh…what’s going on?” Alura asked

“Oh, I got some great news!” Kara grinned, she paused “well, _I_ think its great news, anyway, you might not. Please don’t get upset. It, it’s good news, really. It is! Honest!” she started to breath harder, clearly on the verge of hyperventilating “oh god! Maybe I should have waited until I saw your Dad, maybe I should have told him first, I mean he has every right to know, right? Even more than you do when you think about it, right?”

CJ whistled sharply “Thank you,” she said as Kara stopped babbling and took a deep breath “now, Kara? Take a breath and start from the beginning”

“OK,” Kara sucked in a deep breath “I saw Dr. Hamilton for my monthly checkup, right?” CJ, Alura, and Alex all nodded “and she says that my blood test looks a little funny, right?” three more nods “well, she took another sample and finds that one of my hormones is elevated, and well…,” she gave a little breathless laugh “I’m pregnant”

“ _What?!_ ” the others exclaimed

Kara grinned “I’m pregnant” she repeated

“Whoa! Whoa! Hang on!” Alura held up her hands “you’re _pregnant?!_ ” she squeaked out, Kara nodded “again. You’re pregnant again?” another nod “so…that’s, that means…that,” she trailed off, her eyes wide “I’m…I’m going to be…a sister? I, uh…I’m going to be a big sister?”

“Yeah,” Kara nodded. She frowned “are you…OK with this?” she asked hesitantly

“I’m going to be a big sister” Alura repeated, less questioningly this time

“Wait for it…” CJ muttered

“I’m going to be a big sister!” Alura laughed

“There it is!” CJ grinned as Alura launched herself forward into her mother’s arms, laughing

“I’m going to be a big sister!”

“I know!” Kara laughed

“Someone’s going to say ‘hey, sis’, and it’s going to be _me_ they’re talking about!”

“Hey what about me?” CJ asked “what am I? Chopped liver?”

“No!” Kara laughed “you’re going to be ‘aunt CJ’!”

“Hey,” CJ grinned “ ‘aunt CJ’, ooh, I like that!”

“Kara! This is great news!” Alex grinned “oh! We have to tell Astra! She’ll _flip_ once she finds out that she’s going to be a greataunt _twice_ ”

“Oh my god! You’re right!” Kara grinned

“Who’s right?” turning they watched as Astra lingered in the door, watching them uncertainly

“Kara’s pregnant again!” Alex exclaimed

Astra blinked. Once. Twice.

“What?” she asked

“Yeah!” Kara nodded

Astra blinked again. Then she grinned and surged forward, sweeping Kara up into a fierce embrace, laughing “Oh, my little one! I’m so happy for you!” she laughed, holding Kara close “oh, have you told James yet?”

“Not yet,” Kara answered “I was thinking of telling him over dinner tonight”

“We’ll be there!” CJ and Alura chorused

“Of course you will be!” Kara laughed…

******

Meanwhile, across town, Lucy grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge and held it up to James

“Milk, there you go”

“Thanks,” James chuckled. It was their regular get together, even though they hadn’t dated each other in over ten years, they still liked to be on good terms, and met regularly for coffee or the like. Ironically, Kara had helped greatly on that front, encouraging both of them to stay friends with each other. Opening the carton of milk, James frowned “uh, Lucy? I think this milk is expired”

“Really?” Lucy took it from him and then gagged at the smell “ooh! OK! Yep, yep! That’s bad!” grimacing she threw it away “damn,” she muttered “damn it!” she angrily kicked the trash can, which wobbled, but—almost mockingly—stubbornly refused to tip over “fucking hell!”

“Hey! Hey!” James grabbed her and pulled her back before she decided to the shoot the unfortunate appliance “its just milk, calm down” he urged

“It’s _not_ ‘just milk’, James!” Lucy snarled “I am _pregnant_ , how the hell am I supposed to take care of a child when I can’t even keep track of when the milk expires?!”

“Hey, there isn’t a manual, OK?” James challenged “I mean look at me and Kara. Do you honestly think that there’s a chapter in one of those baby books that says ‘ _when she’s fifteen your daughter will come out as gay?’_ ”

Lucy sighed, knowing that he was right “No,” she huffed “but its just…”

“I know, I know,” James pulled her into a close, firm embrace “look, let me let you in a secret about parenthood; your kids are going to surprise you. I remember the first night after we had Alura. You take this _tiny_ little thing and put it in this _tiny_ little bed, and you think, ‘how did this happen?’. I mean the tinest things, even the things you think you’re ready for, I mean I can’t tell you how funny it is to see your baby laugh and giggle over something as simple as a shiny object, or how she’ll insist on eating the same thing night after night just because she likes it”

Lucy chuckled “Isn’t that just describing Kara?” she teased “hey!” she yelped as James gave her a playful pinch in the arm

“I’m serious, Lucy”

“I know you are,” she sighed. She pulled back, reaching down and patting her belly, which was now just showing the barest hints of roundness, nothing too overt just yet, but her arbs didn’t look as well defined as they did last month. She smiled up at James, leaning in to give him a quick peek on the cheek “thanks”

“Sure, anytime” he chuckled

“Uh…”

They both turned to see Winn standing in the door, staring at them “Should I be worried?” he asked

“Very,” Lucy teased “you see, it turnes out that I never really stopped loving James. So, we’re running off to the tropics to get married. Kara’s coming too, by the way,.and I guess Alura can just call me—hey!” she yelped as Winn launched a dish towel at her head “oh, you’ve done it now, Schott! Come here!”

James just smiled and shook his head as Lucy gave chase, tackling Winn onto the couch. Speaking of kids, he thought…


	54. Baby Daddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James finds out that he's going to be a father again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back! Enjoy! :=)

******

Kara took a breath. In…hold…out. In…hold…out. In…

“Mom?”

Kara let out a startled _wheeze_ and coughed as she turned to face her daughter

“Sorry, what?” she choked out

Alura smirked “Don’t be so nervous,” she chuckled “it’s _Dad_ , for crying out loud. Its not like he’ll freak out or something”

“Yeah, come on, Kara, relax,” Alex chuckled “James is a cool guy, he’ll be fine with it”

“Hello?” the sound a key sliding into the lock startled everyone “Kara? Alura?” James leaned past the door “anyone—oh, hey guys” he smiled and waved to CJ and her parents

“Hey” the trio chorused as one

James immediately frowned, sensing something was definitely amiss in Danversville “What, uh, what’s going on?” he asked

“Nothing” Alex, Astra, and their daughter all chorused again

“Uh-huh,” James nodded slowly “O…K, uh…well, I’ve got dinner if anyone’s interested” he offered, holding the pizza box up

“Maybe later” Kara shrugged

“Yeah” Alura agreed

Bingo “OK, what’s going on?” James asked “you two never pass up food”

“Well…,” Kara began “OK, I was hoping to wait until Lucy and Winn got here so I could tell them the good news, but I can’t wait,” she took a breath “I’m pregnant!” she announced

James stared, suddenly as still as a statue

“James?” Kara asked, now concerned “did, did you hear me?” she asked

James slowly blinked and then nodded “Yeah”

“So…what do you think?” Kara asked hestitently

“Think?” James asked, seemingly capable of only giving one-word answers

“About my being pregnant again,” Kara began hesitantly. She frowned up at James, worried now “aren’t you happy? I mean this is great news!”

“No! It’s not!” James suddenly exclaimed “Kara! This is…!” he suddenly started to pace “how…when…Kara! How did this happen?!?!?!?!?”

“Does he actually want an answer?” CJ wondered “because I can tell him”

“Shh!” Alex hissed as James continued frantically pacing

“Kara! We _can’t_ have another kid!” he exclaimed “I mean, we already have Alura’s collage tuition to think about, how are we going to save enough money for _two_ children?!”

“Who says I’m going to collage?” Alura wondered

“You’re going!” both her parents proclaimed. That, at least, they could agree on

“Maybe I don’t want to go, ever think of that?” Alura muttered petulantly, earning her an eblow in the ribs from CJ

“We’ll find a way!” Kara insisted, turning back to James “we always do” she added

“What about work?” James challenged “we both work, and we’ll have to work double to support another child, which means that we won’t be home as often. Who’s going to take care of the baby?”

“Alura can babysit,” Kara countered “and so can Alex and Astra, and CJ, and Winn and Lucy”

“Winn and Lucy already have a child of their own to worry about, Alex and Astra both work, and CJ and Alura have school” James objected

“Well, I’m _sorry!_ ” Kara spat, her anger clearly boiling over “I thought that _maybe_ you’d be _happy_ for me! For us! I guess I was wrong!” she turned, storming out of the room

“Kara—” James tried

“No! Don’t follow me, Olsen!”

With that, Kara slammed the bedroom door shut.

“I’ll talk to her” Alex muttered, already halfway to the bedroom door

Astra sighed and stared at James, shaking her head in clear disbelief, but it was CJ who vocalized the thought that was on everyone’s minds

“You screwed up big time, dude,” she shook her head “big time” she muttered…


	55. Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James apologizes to Kara

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back with a short update! Enjoy! :=)

******

James lightly knocked on the door in front of him. Alex and Astra had left about a hour ago, and CJ and Alura had holed up in Alura’s room, each of them giving him a dirty look whenever they saw him on their way to raid the fridge (he could have sworn he saw a Voodoo doll in CJ’s hand at one point. He wouldn’t put it past her). Kara had remained locked in the master bedroom, while James tried to talk to her and apologize.

So far, it wasn’t going well.

A loud, heavy-sounding _thump_ sounded out as something weighty—possibly a shoe—hit the door hard

“I’m not talking to you!” Kara called out

“Kara, _please_ ,” James pleaded “I’m sorry”

Another _thump_ sounded out as what was very likely the other shoe hit the door

“Fuck off!” Kara spat

“I’m sorry,” James repeated earnestly “I’m sorry, and I’m going to keep on saying it every day until that child is born or until you forgive me”

The door slowly opened, a tired and drained-looking Kara leaning out

“I thought you’d be happy,” she said “for me, for us, for your daughter”

“I know,” James looked away from her bloodshot eyes “I’m sorry, I overreacted”

“That’s for sure!” CJ called our

“…I panicked,” James continued “all I could see was the negative aspects, the risk to you, the money problems, the sleepless nights, the fact that we’re only getting older. I couldn’t see the good parts; teddy bears, first steps, first words, first day at school”

“You don’t think that _I’m_ not scared?” Kara asked “James, I’m terrifed”

James blinked “But…you sounded so happy”

“I was, I am,” Kara nodded “but, I’m also scared out of my wits,” she took a breath “what’ll happen once this kid graduates high school—assuming that we got him or her in high school in the first place—we’ll both be in our…what, sixties? We’re probably going to be the only old people there for our kid instead of our _grandkids_ ”

“Maybe it’ll be both,” James shrugged “Alura could have kids of her own by then”

“Over my dead body!” Alura bellowed out

“Oh god,” Kara groaned “what about Alura?” she wondered “this kid will be fifteen _years_ behind her. She probably _will_ be married with kids of her own by the time this kid graduates high school”

“If we’re lucky” James nodded

“If we’re lucky,” Kara agreed. She groaned “so…what do we do?” she wondered

James smiled and took her hands “We’ll find a way, just like you said” he vowed

Kara smiled shyly “We will,” she agreed. She loopped her arms around his neck and stood on tip-toe to give him a quick kiss “I forgive you,” she declared as she pulled away “ _but_ …you’re still sleeping on the couch”

James shrugged “It pulls out,” he remarked “I’ll be fine”


	56. Nightly Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James and CJ have sandwiches and talk, then CJ and Alura have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back! Short update for "Family Matters" here. Warning for frank discussions of sex and masturbation, if the idea of two teenagers discussing sex openly and freely bothers you, then, please, go read a book, you might learn something :=)

******

James hated sleeping on the couch. In addition to the general upsetting nature of being banished to the couch, there was also a more, practical, reason to his not liking sleeping on the couch. Namely it was too small for someone his height and build. Currently, his legs were bent at an awkward angle and his neck…well, suffice to say, he would probably have one hell of a crick in his neck come tomorrow morning.

Grumbling, he tossed the blankets off and sat up, shivering at the chill in the night air. The master bedroom was always nice and warm because Kara was always nice and warm. Still kicking himself, he got up and made his way to the fridge and gathered the items for a sandwich. Turning on the light over the counter—and wincing at the bright glare—he began to assemble his simple ham and chesse sandwich

“You know that’s, like, the Charlie Brown of sandwiches, right?”

Jumping, he looked up to see CJ standing—leaning really—against the wall, one hand cocked on her hip, her glasses gleaming in the dim light. She’d ditched her dress from earlier and was dressed down in a pair of yoga pants, socks, and a tank top. All black of course.

“You startled me” James panted, feeling his heart slow down

“Sorry” she apologized

“Thought you’d left already” he commented

“No,” she shook her head, absently adjusting her glasses, as she stepped into the light, the weak light catching her blue hair and heavy eyeliner and lipstick, and not for the first time, did James have a mental vision of her hissing and recoiling from the light ala Dracula. Of course that was stupid, CJ, despite her gothic flare, thrived in the sun just as much as Kara did “so, what’s with the ‘good grief’ sandwich?” she asked, nodding at James’ rather pitiful-looking sandwich

He shrugged “Boredom, really” he admitted

“That’s a bad habit to get into” CJ noted

“Says the girl who’s assembling an even larger sandwich” he countered

“Yeah, but I’m half-Kryptonian,” she pointed out “I eat like this, I just get full. You eat like this; you just get fat,” she took a large bite out of her triple-decker sandwich “which,” she added around a mouthful of sandwich, spewing crumbs everywhere “isn’t a particularly good idea, seeing as how you’re going to be a daddy again,” she smacked her lips, frowning “got any milk? The cheese is sticking to the roof of my mouth”

“Sure,” James quickly grabbed the milk and poured her a glass “so,” he began as she downed the glass “how are you taking the news?”

“Fine,” she answered with a pleased _‘ahh’_ as she finished the milk “hey, come on, I get to be ‘aunt CJ’, that’s just cool,” she smirked at JAems as she poured herself another “just so you know, I’m going to spoil that kid rotten” she warned

James chuckled as she rooted around in the fridge for something “I don’t doubt it” he commented

“Good” she answered, emerging with a jar of pickles and a jar of martinated artichoke hearts, which she liberarlly applied to her sandwich 

“How’d Alura take the news?” James wondered

CJ snorted “I think she’s already planning the kid’s sweet sixteen birthday party,” she explained “to say she’s ‘eccstatic’ is an understatement,” she capped both jars and put them back in the fridge, placing her now slightly soggy sandwich on a plate “g’night” she called as she quietly slipped past James…

******

Coming back in Alura’s room, CJ paused, frowning at her cousin

“What?” Alura demanded, wide awake despite the darkened room

“What are you doing?” CJ asked

“Trying to sleep” Alura growled out in response

“You got the covers pulled up all the way to your chin,” CJ pointed out “nobody does that,” she shook her head as she continued to munch on her sandwich “were you…masturbating?” she asked.

She ducked as a pillow flew past her head

“What? It’s a legitimate question!” she objected, coming over to the bedside and offering Alura a part of her sandwich. Which Alura took and viciously bit into “you know there’s nothing wrong with it, right?” CJ continued, plowing forward into murky waters “hey, I do it too you know?”

“Ew! CJ! I’m eating!”

“You should both be sleeping!” Kara called out through the wall

“Sorry!” both teens apologized

“Well?” CJ asked in a whisper quiet tone “were you?”

“So what if I was?” Alura grumbled

“Then I’d be required to ask what or who you were fantasizing about” CJ countered

“Not on your life”

“OK,” CJ finished off her sandwich and set the plate aside to be washed tomorrow “if you want,” ducked into the bathroom, she quickly washed her hands and then came back out and flopped down on the air mattress “g’night”

“Good night,” Alura growled out.

Silence descended for all but a moment

“CJ?” Alura asked tentatively

“Hmm?”

“What’s it like?”

“What’s what like?”

“Sex”

CJ blinked and sat up “You better not be messing me right now” she growled out

“No,” Alura shook her head “I’m not, I want to know”

CJ pursed her lips and huffed out a breath

“It depends,” she began “granted, I’m not all that experienced, I’ve only done it, like, twice, but…basically, at first, it’ll be awkward and uncomfortable, and you’ll probably end up laughing at how silly you feel, at least I did,” she sighed and then sat up and turned on the light “OK, look,” she began “the big thing you got to remember about having sex, no matter who you’re having it with, is trust. You have to really _trust_ your partner, OK? Don’t go rushing into it just because you think that’s what you should be doing, all right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got The Talk, same as you,” Alura dismissed “its not like I can get an STD. And, since I’m gay, I can’t get pregnant” 

“I’m not talking about just STDs and unwanted pregnancies,” CJ shook her head “you and I both know that there are worse things related to sex”

“Its not like anybody will able to actually… _assault_ me” Alura scoffed, she curled her hand into a fist to emphasize her point

CJ smirked humorlessly “That’s what you think. I’m not just talking about physical assault; I’m talking about mental and psychological assault. Remember a few years back? All those celebrities who were accused of sexual harassment? None of their victims were raped, not in the physical sense, but they were violated all the same. You and I both know that our emotions aren’t bulletproof, remember how you felt after Cassie’s mother ordered you stay away from her daughter”

Alura frowned

“Oh” she said quietly as a sudden chil went through her 

“Yeah,” CJ nodded “ _’oh’_. You’ve got to be careful, Ally, you especially. Being gay makes you bigger target towards bullying and worse”

“So…what do I do?” Alura asked slowly

“Be smart,” CJ repeated “talk with your partner—even if its embarrassing—make sure that’s it what _they_ want too. Remember, there’s no…time limit, if you’re still a virgin in your forties there’s no shame in it. Even if you’re a guy. There is absolutely no shame in waiting for the right person”

“God,” Alura sighed “this is…”

“A lot to take in, I know,” CJ nodded “but its important” she reminded her cousin firmly

“Hey, why is it that a man who’s still a virgin in his forties is pathetic, but a woman is supposed to ‘save herself’?” Alura wondered suddenly

“Because men say so,” CJ scoffed “women have power. Just one woman could repopulate the entire planet, and men know this, and it scares them. That’s why society says that men must lose their virginity as soon as they reach puberty practically, and women are still suppose to wait until their wedding night”

“Isn’t that bad idea?” Alura wondered “I mean, I’m still a virgin, but just thinking about it, wouldn’t having sex before you get married mean that you can…I don’t know…learn?”

“You’re right,” CJ nodded “I learned a lot during sex” she admitted

“OK, I know I’m going to regret asking. But…?”

CJ smirked “Just…what I like, what I don’t like. For example, I leaned that I have this spot on the back of my neck that if you kiss it in _just_ the righ—”

Alura hurled a pillow at her

“Stop right there!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CJ and Alura's sex talk was originally going to be funnier, with CJ being _way too_ open and Alura recoiling in disgust. But in light of the recent spree of sexual assault allegations rocking both Hollywood and D.C., I felt we needed to address it.
> 
> Whether any of the allegations are true or not is neither here nor there, what matter's most is that _no one_ , and I mean _**no one**_ should be allowed to do that to anyone and get away with it, regardless of status or gender.
> 
> We need to teach our kids--both our sons and daughters--that assault is assault, regardless of whether its physical, emotional, or mental, or done by, or to, a man or a woman.
> 
> Sorry, didn't mean to rant there, but these kinds of stories piss me off. Anyway, let me know what you thought of the update :=)


	57. Nightly Matters, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one's sleeping well tonight

******

Lucy shifted, kicked at the covers, and then finally threw them back with an angry huff. Making sure that Winn was still asleep (usually she was the one who slept like a log) she got up and stalked into the kitchen, raiding the fridge for something to eat. Normally she tried to eat healthy—not vegetarian or vegen, just healthy—and that included avoiding late night snacking, but, right now, she was upset. Plus she was pregnant, she was entitiled she decided. Of course the pregnancy was one of the reasons—the main reason in fact—that she was upset.

Piling the ingredents for a sandwich down on the counter, she opened the mayonnaise and slathered a generous helping onto the bread with all the air and finesse of a chainsaw killer from a horror movie.

Grabbing a slice of cold steak (Astra had made steak yesterday, and better still, she let people take their leftovers home), Lucy piled on the meat, adding some lettice and a tomato (that was all the vegetables in fridge. She really needed to stop Winn from grocery shopping, or at the very least go with him, the man still ate cereal for dinner for god’s sakes). Adding the top slice of bread (this time with mustard) she topped her, fairly sizeable, sandwich, and then took a generous bite out of it, mayo and mustard squrting out to cover her hands

“Lucy?”

She looked up at the sleepy voice, suddenly feeling like a kid who’d just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. She glanced at the sandwich and then at Winn

“I’m pregnant, I’m entitled” she defended herself

Winn blinked sleepily “OK,” he mumbled, shaking his head “got another one of those?” he asked, pointing at the sandwich

“Hmm” Lucy mumbled around her second bite, gesturing vaugly towards the sandwich fixings laid out across the counter like some kind some kind of snndwich dissection study lab

Still blinking sleepily, Winn shuffled over and started to make one for himself, avoiding adding veggies because 1): he didn’t like them, and 2): Lucy was already eating the last of them

“So, why are you up?” he wondered

Lucy shrugged “Just…stuff” she mumbled, patting her stomach

“Yeah?” Winn asked “me too,” he took a bite out of his sandwich “can’t believe that Kara’s pregnant again”

“I know,” Lucy stared at him with wide eyes “that was…surprising,” she looked down at her stomach, frowning “so, what does this mean for us? Is our kid and Kara’s going to be…siblings? Close like CJ and Alura?”

“I don’t know” Winn shrugged

“Do you think that the new kid will have powers like Alura?” Lucy wondered

Winn shrugged

“According to Alex, when Kara and James had Alura they used hormone therapy, which is why she has powers, ‘cause they used Kryptonian hormones, without the hormones, apparently its fifty-fifty,” he explained “the kid could have powers, or he could be Human like the rest of us”

“Huh” Lucy mused

“We’re still spoiling them both rotten though” Winn vowed

“Oh definitely,” Lucy agreed. She patted her stomach "I think you're going to like it here, kiddo"


	58. Nightly Matters, Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! Are we sensing a theme here?

******

Alex sat silently in the darkened kitchen. In her hand rested a letter, it was too dark to read it, but Alex had read it twice today, more than enough times to more or less memorieze the contents. The letter was yet another letter from the attornies of Jeffery Courts’ family, which stated in no uncertain terms that unless CJ’s parents paid up, the attorney’s would bleed them dry for everything they owned.

Her life sucked

“Alex?”

Alex looked up, reminding herself that her life most definitely did not suck as Astra stood in the doorway, frowning

“Oh. Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you” Alex apologized quietly

Glancing at the letter, Astra gave her wife’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she passed, moving to the fridge and gathering all the ingredients for a triple-decker sandwich. Unlike Lucy and Winn, Alex and Astra’s fridge was always stocked with all sorts of goodies.

Moving over to the counter—and not needing to turn on the light—Astra began to assemble a sandwich of epic proportions, piling it high with coldcuts, lettice, tomatos, cheese—three different kinds—before finally placing it in between two slices of whole wheat, each slathered with mayo and mustard. Without a word, she placed the sandwich on a plate and then set it down in front of Alex.

Throughout their marriage and parenthood, Astra had always emphsised food as a cure all for whatever ailed you, perhaps it was due to have been born a farmer’s daughter, perhaps it was just a natural nurturing instinct, either way, to Astra feeding her family was often her solution whenever someone was feeling out of sorts.

Gently easing the letter out of her wife’s hands, Astra placed at kiss to the top of her head and then quietly waited. Smirking, Alex finally picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Figured it had her favorites

“Thanks” she whispered

Astra ducked her head shyly

“Always,” she said softly. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to the top of Alex’s head “come back to bed once you’re done” she requested before quietly shuffling on back to bed herself…


	59. Nightly Matters, Part Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triple update! :=)

******

James grumbled as he kicked the covers off again. First he was cold, now he was hot. He was tempted to make another sandwich, and was just about to do that when a floorboard creaked

“James?” Kara asked tentatively in the darkness

“Hey,” James smiled “what are you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Kara shrugged as she sat down next to him “overhead CJ and Alura talking about…stuff”

“Stuff?” James asked. He didn’t need a light to see Kara suddenly blush

“…sex stuff,” she finally mumbled, James could feel the couch shift as she squirmed uncomfortably “I mean, hey, we taught her to not be ashamed about it, but still….she’s our baby”

James chuckled, still amused at how Kara, who'd been the one to insist that Alura not be ashamed of sex, as so many Humans were, could still have the very Human reaction of become wigged out when talking about sex. It was one of those unique things that made her who she was.

“What were they talking about?” he wondered

“Trust,” Kara nodded. He felt her curl her hand around his own “it’s kind of lonely back there,” she began. She stood up, lightly tugging on his hand “come back to bed” she requested

“Sure” he smiled as he allowed her to lead him back to bed. They were both too tired to do anything but sleep, but they held each other throughout the night, safe and content once more…


	60. Turkey Terror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SIXTY!!!! Warning slight time jump here, namely I skipped over CJ's birthday, which I placed in August, but don't worry, I have my reasons. This particular arc is dedicated to polybi who suggested Thanksgiving chaos, so here you go, enjoy! :=)

******

> Attention Students. Due to the recent incident at the Spring Fling, as well as unforeseen construction costs, the repairs to the school gym have been delayed. As result, the Spring Fling is being canceled this year. We apologize for the inconvenience and will reimburse students and their parents for the cost of tickets
> 
> Thank you, signed the faculty

“Oh well,” CJ sighed as she finished reading the notice pinned to the bulliten borad in the school’s lobby “there’s always the Snow Ball” she declared 

“Yeah” Alura sighed

“What? Don’t tell me that _you_ actually wanted to go to a dance?” CJ scoffed

“No,” Alura smacked her upside the head “just…I was planning on taking Cassie. So…now what?”

“Take her somewhere else, duh,” now it was CJ’s turn to smack her cousin upside the head “you didn’t _have_ to take her to the dance, you know,” she pointed out as the bell rang “come on, time for class”

“Whoo” Alura muttered darkly…

******

Lunchtime found Alura watching CJ and the soccer team practice. Many of the students spent their lunchtime or, if they had it, their free period between lunch and biology out on the bleachers to watch the team practice or even just to get outdoors and away from the crush of bodies that schools so often became as long as the weather permitted.

Today, being the height of fall, it was overcast and slightly chilly, but yet there were a few students out on the bleachers, Alura included. Sometimes being half-Kryptonian helped, in this case, she didn’t get cold.

Stomping down the steps (stomping was her default setting now when walking apparently), Alura slung her backpack off her shoulder when she spotted a familiar figure sitting a few feet away

“Cassie, hey” she greeted as she came over. Cassie looked up, looking slightly startled, before visibly brightening upon seeing Alura

“Alura, hey” she greeted, she smiled more easily it seemed since Despera’s attack, somehow the telepathic attack had brought her out of her shell a little, she smiled a bit more freely, and didn’t curl up as severely if people talked to her

“You heard about the dance?” Alura asked as she awkwardly sat down next to Cassie

Cassie nodded, curling up slightly

“Sorry we can’t have that date” she apologized

“Why are _you_ apologizing?” Alura asked “we can do other things for a date” she pointed out, scowling as she realized that she sounded like CJ. The horror

“Oh. Right” Cassie blushed prettily

Alura frowned as an idea suddenly occurred to her. A possibly stupid, ill-conceived, and poorly thought out idea, but an idea nonetheless

“Hey, why don’t you come over for Thanksgiving dinner with my family” she suddenly blurted out

Cassie blinked, suddenly looking pale

“I, I don’t know” she admitted

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Alura insisted “you can bring your Mom”

“I…maybe, I’ll ask” Cassie finally stammered out

Alura grinned “Great!” she chirped as her cell phone chimed out CJ’s ringtone, the theme to _The Twilight Zone_

“ _Are you crazy?_ ” CJ demanded the second Alura answered

“Huh?” Alura asked

“ _You’re inviting Cassie to Thanksgiving dinner,_ ” CJ emphasized “ _how do you think her Mother’s going to react? Hell, forget Cassie’s mother, how’s Kara going to react? Or my Mother? Remember Astra doesn’t do well with surprises. Never mind the fact that Thanksgiving is only a few days away_ ”

“So?” Alura scoffed, moving away from Cassie for some relative privacy

“ _So, Mother’s cooking dinner this year! As always!_ ” CJ exclaimed

“ _Ohhh_ ” Alura groaned

“ _That sensation you’re feeling is called the ‘ground falling out from under your feet’_ ”

******

“She _what?!!_ ” Astra demanded

“ _She invited Cassie and her mother to Thanksgiving dinner_ ” CJ explained over the phone

“Ohhh!” Astra snarled in frustration as she all but stabbed the rosemary butter under the skin of the ‘test’ turkey leg. Practically from the day she and Alex had been married Astra had taken on the responsibility of cooking Thanksgiving dinner (since Alex was utterly useless in the kitchen, Kara and James just couldn’t cook, and Winn and Lucy never had anything besides Raman noodles in their pantry nine times out of ten). To that end, Astra would always cook a series so-called ‘test’ turkey legs—usually only two or three to avoid wasting any food—to ensure that her recipe worked out well this year, each one would be seasoned differently, allowing Astra to test out new tricks.

Currently she was rubbing a rosemary butter and herb concoction under the skin of turkey leg Number Two, Number One had used a simple herb butter and had turned out horribly dry, so that particular recipe had been nixed

“It’s bad enough that you didn’t want a birthday this year, and now this!” Astra snarled as she washed her hands

“ _Oh, Mother! Not this again!_ ” CJ sighed “ _I turned seventeen. Turning seventeen is not that big of a deal, so I just wanted a nice day in with my family. Was that too much to ask?_ ”

Astra sighed

“No,” she finally allowed “but, we’re going all out for your eighteenth”

“ _Fine, whatever,_ ” CJ dismissed “ _now what do we do about Alura and her brilliant idea?_ ” she wondered

Astra munched on a carrot thoughtfully

“I guess I'll just set out two extra places this year” she decided

“Make that four,” Alex called out as she poked her head in “that was Kara, James’ mother is coming this year and you can _bet_ she’s bringing you-know-who as a date”

Astra sighed and looked forlornly at her test turkey leg, suddenly feeling like she was about to cry…


	61. Countdown to Crisis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is coming. The Thanksgiving dinner from hell!!

******

**Twenty four hours to Thanksgiving…**

“I still think this is a bad idea”

“Yeah, well, too bad, Cassie’s Mom already agreed, so there”

“Still a bad idea” CJ reiterated

Both girls were currently lounging on CJ’s bedroom floor. Technically, they were supposed to be doing their homework, but thanks to those Kryptonian genetics, they’d both finished their homework while waiting to be picked up from school, and were now simply lounging on the floor, CJ reading, and Alura also actually reading for once (although she was reading her _Qur'an_ so technically it didn’t count as reading to her).

Sighing, CJ set her book down and then gently nudged the Qur’an out of Alura’s hands

“Do you just _like_ being tortured?” she asked

“What?” Alura laughed

“I mean it,” CJ emphsisied “if this goes the wrong way, you and Cassie might not end up together. In fact, you both might end up hating each others guts for life,” she warned. She squeezed Alura’s hand “just…try not to go so fast, huh?” she advised

Alura frowned, blinking as CJ went back to her book

“Ah…damn it!”

The Qur’an flew past CJ’s head…

******

**Thanksgiving  
Four hours to zero hour…**

Thanskgiving rolled around in short order. The autumn leaves flew through the air and crunched pleasantly underfoot, the breeze from the Pacific promised cool and crisp weather and the air was generally full of promise and a dead turkey now sat outside Alex and Astra’s apartment door.

“That’s a dead turkey” Alex stated unessicarily

“I know,” Astra nodded as she munched on a slice of toast “it was supposed to come for Christmas,” she explained “I guess someone mixed up our order” she shrugged. In truth, the turkey was encased in a mesh bag and bore the label ‘KELLER’S FRESH POLTURY’ on it. But the fact remained: there was a dead turkey on the floor

“A _whole_ , dead turkey,” Alex emphasized “it still has feathers. And a head. Hell, it probably still has all its major organs intact!”

Astra brightened at that

“If we’re lucky,” she commented as she easily lifted the twelve pound bird off the floor one-handed “well, come on,” she declared “we’d better get plucking”

“Plucking?” Alex echoed…

******

Half and hour later and Alex was nearly elbow-deep in the turkey, removing the giblets with a practiced, detached air. Well, she would be if she could actually _find_ said giblets.

“What the hell is up with this bird?” she muttered “where are you organs?” she demanded of it. The bird had already been plucked and feathers now sat in a garbage bag by the trashcan, some of the smaller feathers now floating out to drift lazily to the floor (Astra had refused to throw them out, insisting that they could be reused for some purpose).

Behind Alex, oblivious to her hunt for the turkey’s innards, Astra scrutinized the cookbook with the air of a masterplanner whose latest plan had gone arawy

“Where am I going _wrong?_ ” she muttered, flipping through the well-worn and dog-eared book with an increasing air of annoyance and frustration “I’ve done this before. It has to be the over. It _must_ be!” she hissed

“Sure,” Alex muttered as she finally found the turkey’s innards and began to remove them “it’s all the ovens’ fault”

Astra blinked, slowly looking up from the book at her wife, if she’d been wearing glasses she’d had been peering over them intently at Alex

“I _can_ cook, Alex” she scowled

“Morning,” CJ grumbled as she came out of her room, sleepily shuffling on by. She stopped, pausing and blinking as she took in the scene before her “… _why_ is there a whole dead turkey on the kitchen counter?” she asked. She sniffed the air “and what’s burning?” she wondered

“Dinner” Alex grunted, nodding to the turkey

“Soo…what do we do with the _other_ turkey we already bought?” CJ wondered “you know? The frozen one from the supermarket?”

Alex and Astra frowned at each other and then shrugged

“Eat ‘em both, I guess,” Alex finally shrugged “the way you two eat, we’ll end needing two turkeys”

“O…K,” CJ nodded “still doesn’t explain that burning I smell?”

A knock at the door made them all look up

“Ah,” Astra set down her cookbook and opened the door, revealing Winn and Lucy holding a casserole dish “I found the source of the burning” she called out

“Is it that bad?” Winn moaned

Lucy lifted the lid of said casserole dish with a flourish, revealing what _might_ have been a tuna casserole. Or maybe it was spaghetti and meatballs?

“Why do we even try?” she wondered

“Just put it in the fridge,” Astra instructed “Kara and James will probably be by soon with an apple pie”

“Which they bought at the store at the last minute and will try to pass off as homemade” Alex added with a snort

“Why do they bother?” Lucy wondered as she shrugged off her jacket, her small baby bump now on full display “we all know that neither of them can cook” she added

“I suppose it’s the principle of the thing,” CJ shrugged. She blinked sleepily and looked down at herself, suddenly seeming to realize that she was still dressed in just an oversized t-shirt “I’m going to go get changed now” she announced

“No Goth clothing!” Astra called out after her “we’re having guests over! Wear something _other than black!_ ” she added

“Whoa!” Winn suddenly exclaimed “OK, now _that_ , is a big turkey”

“Glad you noticed” Alex sneered as more turkey innards splattered into the trash…

******

Alura took a breath as she straightened up from her prayer rug, feeling a sense of peace and calm settle over her as she took off her _hijab_ and rolled the rug up and put it away.

A gentle knock made her look up as James peeked round the corner

“All set?” he asked

Alura nodded

“As I’ll ever be” she took one last look at herself in the mirror above her dresser before following James out the door…


	62. Emily Post Never Met Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SIXTY-TWO!!

******

“Mom, I’m getting dizzy here” Alura complained as the car circled the concorde at National City International Airport for the fourth time

“I know, I know,” Kara sighed “but there’s nowhere to park,” she exclaimed “here,” she passed her cell phone back towards Alura “see if your Dad texts me and then tell him we’re on our way” she instructed

“All right,” Alura sighed as she took the phone, frowning as Kara let out a huff “Mom? You OK?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah,” Kara smiled at her in the rearview “sorry, just…forgot how tried being pregnant makes you,” she patted her rounded belly “and heavy” she grumbled as the phone in Alura’s hands chirped

“Oh, OK, Dad says that they’re at…the eastern terminal” she read

“Oh good, we’re not that far,” Kara maneuvered the car around once again, suddenly gunning the engine to speed past a midsized sedan. The sedan driver honked angerly at them as they shot past “well learn to drive then, moron!” Kara hollered in response

“Mom!” Alura laughed “you’re in a mood”

“I am tired, I am hungry, and I look like a whale, _don’t piss me off!_ ” she jerked the car to a stop and unlocked the doors “hi!” she chirped as James, his mother, and General Sam Lane approached the car

“Hi, sorry,” James apologized “its insane in there!” he exclaimed in shock as he got in the passenger seat, while General Lane loaded his and Mrs. Olsen’s bags in the trunk before climbing into the backseat with Alura

“Hello, Alura” Mrs. Olsen greeted

“Hi” Alura greeted as she was squished against the door…

******

Meanwhile, over at the Danvers’, Astra currently stood in the middle of the kitchen and scowled at the oven

“Mother? Everything OK?” CJ asked from behind her

“Hmm?” Astra turned “oh, yes…more or less,” she sighed as she put her hands on her hips and scowled “I just realized that I have enough food for everyone but not enough oven space to cook it in”

“Hmm, yeah that’s a pickle all right” CJ noted

“Yes, it certainly is” Astra nodded…

******

Alura shifted as best she could and tried to get her elbow back down into her lap

“Oh, I’m sorry, dear,” Mrs. Olsen apologized and shifted to the side as best she could to give her granddaughter some room “there, is that better?” she asked

It wasn’t, not really, but Alura nodded anyway

“Yeah,” she answered “good” inwardly she sighed. This was going to be a _long_ drive…

******

“Oh come… _on!_ ”

Alex’s exclamation made her wife and daughter both look up

“Alex?” Astra questioned as a visibly fuming Alex marched into the room. She huffed out an angry breath and looked up

“Our neice’s date can’t find the apartment, her mother wants directions” she explained

“So?” CJ questioned with a shrug “just give them the directions, Mom”

“I already did,” Alex sighed “it’s just…why did Alura pick _now_ to bring her date?” she wondered “she’s supposed to bring her date to her parents place unexpectedly and have very awkward and uncomfortable conversations over _there_ , not here”

Astra and CJ both snorted

******

“OK, we’re here” Kara announced as the car pulled to a stop, thankfully without destroying any mailboxes this time

“Finally!” Alura hurridly unbuckled her seatbelt and all but ran from the car. She wasn’t strictly claustrophobic, but no one liked being stuck in the backseat, alien or otherwise “bye guys, I’ll see you inside!” she called out as she sprinted inside the building

“Alura!” Kara called out after her

“Oh, leave her,” James sighed “she’s probably just excited to see Cassie”

******

“All right! All right! Keep your shirt on!” CJ pulled the door open and stared at her cousin “why are you knocking?” she finally asked “you have a key”

“Move, move!” Alura elbowed past her and inside the apartment

“Cassie isn’t here yet, so you can relax and, you know, use your manners” CJ told her

“It’s not that,” Alura sighed “although thanks for the update—it was riding in the back with Nana Olsen and General Lane”

“General Lane?” CJ asked “ouch, I take it back; you can break down the door if you have to”

“Thanks,” Alura smirked. She frowned as she looked CJ up and down, taking in the nice burgundy button-down blouse, black slacks, ballet shoes and the lack of any dye in CJ’s hair save for a single streak of blue in the same place as Astra’s white streak. CJ also was not wearing her usual assortment of silver celtic knotwork rings or even any black nailpolish. In short, she looked very…’normal’, and so utterly unlike CJ that Alura simply stared for a moment

“What the fuck happened to you?” she finally asked

“Emily Post happened,” CJ sighed; she shifted and wriggled uncomfortably, like the clothes were somehow constricting “I hate this! I feel so, so, so…ARGG!”

“Wow, that bad huh?” Alura asked

CJ sighed

“I want my dresses back,” she moaned “I want my black lace back, I want _out of these clothes!!!!_ ”

“CJ! It’s only for a few hours!” Alex called from somewhere in the distance “so suck it up!”

“Thanks, Mom, you’re a big help, ” CJ called back as a muffled laugh and a thump filled the air “ugh, there they go again” CJ complained

Alura wrinkled her nose

“They are not seriously doing what I _think_ they’re doing, are they?” she asked

“They are indeed,” CJ nodded. She shook her head “I swear, they’re like rabbits sometimes,” she complained as a knock sounded at the door. CJ turned and x-rayed through it “oh, well, you’re in luck, cuz, your girl’s here” she announced

Alura took a breath

“Right” she muttered as she put a hand on the door and pulled open the door…


	63. The Thanksgiving From Hell, Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're BACK1 Yes, "Family Matters" is finally being updated! Enjoy! :=)

******

Alex sat up with a slight groan, patting the vanity beneath her almost affectionitly as she basked in the afterglow

“Oh this is a good dresser” she declared

“Agreed,” Astra sighed pleseantly as she nestled into her wife’s shoulder “this dresser’s been very good to us over the years” she agreed as a knock came at the door, CJ calmly stepping into the room. Alex sat up, absently throwing one arm over her breasts and the other across her pubic area while Astra merely stood before her daughter as naked as the day she’d been born, calmly gathering up the fallen clothes as CJ walked in

“Sorry,” CJ apologized, looking utterly unfazed at the sight of either of her parent’s nudity, if anything she looked like it barely registered in her brain as she made a beeline for the bathroom “need the bathroom, Kara’s commendered mine, just shot into the room without so much as a ‘hello’.” she explained

“I still can’t believe that we do that” Alex muttered as the bathroom door shut behind CJ

“Do what?” Astra asked as she handed Alex her clothes

“Just…parade around naked around her” Alex explained as she got dressed

“We don’t ‘parade’ around," Astra huffed indigently "if she happens to walk in on us while one or both of us is nude or getting dressed I’m not going to banish her from the room,” Astra scowled at her wife “and besides,” she added “there is nothing wrong or shamefull about the human—or, in my case, Kryptonian—form,” she reminded Alex “studies have even shown that people who grew up in households where nudity was either common or frequent tend to have less trouble with body image issues”

“Really?” Alex asked, still surprised at the fact that, for all their attempts to reproduce through genesis chambers and test tube babies, Kryptonians had very relaxed and open attitudes about sex. Of course, maybe that was _why_ they had began artificial population growth she thought

“Really,” Astra confirmed as she slipped into her jeans. She frowned suddenly, titling her head as she was fastening her bra “ah, Mrs. Sandsmark and Cassie are here,” she straighend up, shrugging on her shirt and brushing her hair back with one hand, finger combing it down as she slipped out of the bedroom and into the living room, looking completely composed as she found Cassie and her mother in the midst of shaking hands and being introduced to James and his mother and General Lane

“Hello again, Mrs. Sandsmark” Astra held out her hand, then—before anyone save Alura or Kara could see—switched hands

“Mrs. Danvers,” Mrs. Sandsmark shook her hand “it was very nice of you to invite us,” she continued “though somewhat unexpected”

Astra chuckled, blushing slightly

“For us too,” she said “my grandniece here dropped it on us rather unexpectedidly” she explained

“You could have just said ‘no’,” Alura pointed out as she looked around “hey, where are Lucy and Winn?” she wondered

“Oh yeah,” Kara nodded “they texted and said that they were already here”

“Oh, I sent them to get more drinks” Astra explained…

******

Winn sighed and impatiently tapped his foot as he leaned against the shopping cart, shivering slightly since he was standing in the frozen foods section. Looking up, he quietly sighed in relief as Lucy suddenly sprinted around the corner, an opened family-sized bag of potato chips in one hand

“Sorry, sorry,” she apologized frantically as she came up to him “just _really_ wanted some chips” she shrugged as she crammed another handful of chips in her mouth

“Yeah,” Winn sighed “those pregnancy cravings are a real pain, aren’t they” he mused _‘especially since I’m the dope who has to go shopping at five AM for food’_ he added silently. Still, it wasn’t all bad, he reminded himself, Lucy was utterly happy to be pregnant, and he was happy that she was happy.

He was also freezing cold right now, but that was neither here nor there

“C’mon,” he wound an arm around her waist, pulling her close and giving her a little peck on the temple as he did, earning a very un-Major-like giggle in response “we’re on drink duty” he reminded her…

******

Meanwhile, back at the Danvers’, CJ suddenly—and very colorfully—swore, making Alex look up towards the still-shut bathroom door and blush at the sound her daughter saying _that_.

“Everything all right?” she asked cautiously

“Uh…no,” CJ sighed through the door “I think I finally started my period,” she groaned “damn it! I _knew_ that I was late this month! I knew it!” she hissed

“Great,” Alex sighed “well you can’t stay in there all day” she proclaimed

“Wasn’t planning on it!” CJ spat

******

Meanwhile, back in the living room, James suddenly perked up; though for an entirely different reason that CJ or Alex. Awkwardly shifting the store-bought apple pie to his other arm, he held out a plate of cookies covered in plastic wrap towards Alura

“You left these in the car” he explained as he jiggled the plate impatiently, clearly his arm couldn’t take added strain along with Kara’s purse dangling off his wrist as well (what she put in the purse no one really knew, and yet, if you asked to borrow something, chances were, she’d have it in her purse, no matter how unusual the requested item was)

“Oh, do you bake, Alura?” Mrs. Sandsmark asked as a blush tainted Alura’s face

“Yes,” Alura growled out, glowering at her father as she snatched the plate from him just as Alex came out of the bedroom shaking her hair out, CJ quietly following behind. Alura leaned in towards CJ as she slid up to her “do I _want_ to know?” she whispered, nodding towards Alex and Astra

“No. Even I don’t want to know” CJ whispered back as another knock sounded at the door, Lucy and Winn peering around the door

“Hi guys,” Winn waved as they came inside “we’re back and we got the drinks” he triumphantly held up a shopping bag

“Sorry it took so long,” Lucy apologized “it’s a madhouse in the stores today” she exclaimed as she gave her father a quick hug and a peek on the cheek

“The airports too” Mrs. Olsen pitched in

“Oh, I’m sorry, Lucy this is Mrs. Marie Olsen. Mrs. Olsen, Lucy Lane” Astra introduced

“We’ve met before,” Lucy reminded her as she warmly shook Mrs. Olsen’s hand “back when James and I were still dating”

“Right,” Astra nodded “I forgot, how silly of me”

“I’m sorry?” Mrs. Sandsmark asked, blinking in clear confusion

“Oh boy, here we go” CJ muttered

“Ah. Right,” Lucy coughed uncomfortably “the family tree,” she looked up at her father “Dad, you want to take this?”

“Oh no,” General Lane held up his hands “no thank you. Even I don’t understand it”

“It’s very simple,” Astra sighed “Lucy here used to date James. James is now married to Kara, whom you’ve already met, Mrs. Sandsmark. Kara is friends with Winn, who is now dating Lucy. Kara is also my niece and my wife’s sister,” she huffed out an annoyed breath “simple”

“Uh…how is exactly is Ms. Danvers your niece and your wife’s sister?” Mrs. Sandsmark asked, holding up a hand like she was in class again

“Adopted,” Kara explained as she came back into the room, having no doubt finished with her restroom break “Aunt Astra is my mother’s sister. Alex’s family adopted me after my parents died in a fire”

“Oh I’m sorry” Mrs. Sandsmark apologized

“Thank you,” Kara nodded “but it’s all right”

General Lane glanced at Lucy questioningly

“How is it that General Astra can be her aunt?” he asked in a low tone

“Oh, hey look, somebody brought a cassorile!” Winn quickly made himself scarce, not wanting to be around during this particular conversation

Lucy sighed, damn it Kara

Her father frowned, eyebrow raising as he put two and two together

“I see,” he murmered as Lucy nodded “and I take it that means that her daughter…?”

Lucy nodded again

“I see,” Lane nodded “so, she’s actually…?”

Lucy nodded again

Lane frowned, pursing his lips thoughtfully

“It’s a very good disguise” he noted finally

“So, now that we’ve all been introduced,” Astra began “everyone find a place to sit—no fighting,” this was directed at the girls “dinner will be ready in a few minutes” she proclaimed as she headed into the kitchen, Lucy hot on her heels

“Astra—”

“I heard,” Astra huffed out a breath “idiot, how did I forget he was there?” she hissed

“Its fine,” Lucy dismissed “I’ll pull the usual NDAs once we get into work tomorrow”

Astra nodded in response and huffed out a breath as she shoved thoughts of General Lane to the back of her mind and set about cooking the ham, while also, hopefully, managing to cook the turkey at the same time, despite the fact that both meats needed cook at different tempretures and for different times…

******

While Astra waged a battle against Time and the Laws of Thermodynamics (one she would inevitably lose) and Lucy and the others sat down at the table, Alura quickly pulled Cassie off into a corner

“OK, so who have you met and what have you learned?” she asked

Cassie frowned

“Uh, Kara and James are your parents and they’re going to have another baby,” she began “Alex and Astra are CJ’s parents. Uh…what does ‘CJ’ stand for, anyway?” she wondered

“ ‘Connor Jeremiah’, named after her grandfather,” Alura answered “continue” she nodded

“Uh, Kara is Alex’s adopted sister and Astra is her mother’s sister,” Cassie frowned at that but continued “Winn and Lucy are going to have a baby…but I…don’t know how they fit in to the rest of the family”

“Neither do we,” Alura shrugged “so, congrats, you worked out the family tree on your first try, hooray”

“Your relatives are weird” Cassie noted bluntly

Alura snorted

“You don’t know the half of it” she muttered

“Hey, Ally!” CJ called out “you planning on eating or what?”

Alura ground her teeth together

“One of these days, one of these days,” she muttered. She looked up at Cassie “you got siblings?” she asked

“No, I’m an only child”

“No cousins even?” Alura asked

“No”

“You’re lucky” Alura grumbled as she marched over to the table, sitting down next to CJ, while Cassie, after a moment’s hesitation, sat down on Alura’s other side

“So, Cassie,” Lucy spoke up between tearing bites out of a dinner roll like a lion on a gazelle “tell us a bit about yourself” she asked around a mouthful of roll

All members of the Superfamily leaned in, assessing Cassie, who squirmed and fidgeted, coughing slightly before answering

“Uh…well…there’s not much to tell” she finally mumbled out

“Well, there must be something,” CJ piped up, absently adjusting her glasses “OK, here’s one, favorite color?”

“Uh, blue” Cassie answered

“Good,” CJ nodded at Alura “your turn” she encouraged

“Huh? Oh,” Alura frowned thoughtfully for a second “OK, favorite food?”

Cassie brightened, blushing slightly

“Chocolate” she admitted

The others all grinned

“Well, everybody likes chocolate” Lucy nodded, having finished her roll and already in the midst of moving onto another victim

An awkward silence suddenly fell over the table, the presence of General Lane, Mrs. Olsen, and Cassie and her mother suddenly putting a damper on the Superfamily’s normal flow of converasation.

A knock at the door startled everyone, and Winn, James, Alex, CJ, and Alura all bolted up almost at the same time with the same exclamation of

“I’ll get it!”

Alex reached the door first and threw it open, blinking in surprise at what she found on the other side

“Mom?” she asked as she was confronted by the sight of Eliza and J’onn standing on the other side, Eliza was holding an inslilated carrying bag—the kind that you used to bring something either hot or cold to a party—while J’onn held a pie

“Wha, what are you two doing here?” Alex asked as she quickly stepped out into the hall, shutting the door behind her

“You invited us,” J’onn stated “you _always_ invite us to Thanksgiving” he added

“Yeah…,” Alex nodded slowly “and, nine times out of ten, only Mom can come”

“This time’s the exception,” J’onn stated. He held out the pie “going to invite us in or not?”

Shaking her head, Alex nudged the door open

“Mom’s here” she announced as she came back inside, J’onn and Eliza in tow, both of them being all-but-ambushed by an eager CJ, who wrapped them both up in a bear hug, being followed by a slower, but equally as eager, Kara

“Hello again, Mrs. Olsen,” Eliza greeted as she and Mrs. Olsen shook hands “and you must be Mrs. Sandsmark,” she shook Mrs. Sandsmark’s hand “Eliza Danversm Alex’s mother” she introduced herself

“Ah, so you’re…wait, don’t tell me…Alex and Kara’s mother,” Mrs. Sandsmark began “and thus…Astra’s mother-in-law, and CJ and Alura’s grandmother”

Eliza chuckled

“That’s right,” she declared “oh, and this is my…,” she trailed off as she gestured to J’onn, clearly not sure how to describe him. They weren’t married, yet they were both far too old—J’onn especially—to call each other as something as juvenile-sounding as ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’, not to mention J’onn’s status as an alien. Forunetly for all involved, J’onn himself deftly swooped in and shook Mrs. Sandsmark’s hand

“Hank Hensahw,” he introduced himself “I’m Alex’s stepfarther” he explained

“Ah, I see,” Mrs. Sandsmark’s tone indicated that she clearly did ‘not approve’, but she was being polite for her daughter’s sake. Although wheather she didn’t approve of Eliza and J’onn’s relationship being out of wedlock or J’onn’s apparent appearance as a black man remained to be seen.

“So,” Mrs. Sandsmark began as J’onn and Eliza sat down “this is quite the large family you have, Alura”

“Yeah, it is,” Alura nodded wirh a somewhat shy grin. She nodded to Lucy and Winn “and two of ‘em aren’t even related to us” she laughed

Mrs. Sandsmark chuckled as Alura’s phone suddenly chirped

“Damn,” she muttered “sorry,” she apologized as she stood up suddenly “I need to…,” she pointed vaguely past her shoulder “its already noon, so…”

“Oh,” CJ seemed to get it first “right. You’d better hurry”

“Yeah, sorry” Alura apologized and then, grabbing her bag, hurried off to CJ’s room, shutting the door behind her

“Wha, what was that about?” Mrs. Sandsmark wondered

Kara looked at James, who fidgeted and looked towards CJ, who looked towards Alex, who looked towards Astra, who finally looked towards Winn and Lucy, who looked at each other, and then looked at Eliza and J’onn. A silent communication passing between all of them.

“Uh…” they all began almost as one

“It, uh, er…” Kara tried

“Well, see it’s…” James tried

“Kinda hard to explain…” Winn added

“Sorta…sensitive” Alex pitched in

“Diffcult,” Eliza added “very difficult”

“Not accepted by some people...” Lucy added

“Oh lord,” CJ groaned, burying her face in the table “she’s a Muslim, all right?” she proclaimed.

A stunned silence fell over the table as the four guests—Mrs. Sandsmark, Mrs. Olsen, General Lane, and Cassie—all stared at CJ in disbelief

“What?” CJ demanded “it was going to have to come out eventually” she declared as her family groaned...


	64. The Thanksgiving From Hell, Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! Chapter SIXTY-FOUR! Enjoy! :=)

******

Opening her eyes as she finished her noontime prayers, Alura frowned as the distinct sound of a muffled argument coming from the other side of the door. Squinting at the door, she suddenly wished that she x-ray vision, that way she could see if it was safe to venture out. biting her lip, she put her hand on the doorknob and, taking a breath, opened the door and stepped out into chaos.

“DON’T YOU TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME, LUCILE!!!”

“OH MY GOD!!! DON’T CALL ME THAT!! I _HATE_ THAT NAME!!!”

“Could I just say something here?”

“YOU BUTT OUT!!”

“HOW DARE YOU TALK TO MY DAUGHTER LIKE THAT!!”

“WELL, WHY DON’T YOU WATCH WHAT YOU SAY THEN!!”

“DON’T YOU AND YOUR WIFE EVER _DISCIPLINE_ THIS CHILD?!?!?”

“I’M SIXTEEN! NOT A CHILD!! YOU…STONE-HEARTED HARPY!!”

“HOW DARE YOU!!!!”

“HEY!! HEY!” Alura clapped her hands, getting everyone’s attention “will somebody tell me just what the _hell_ is going on here?!” she demanded…

******

**One minute earlier…**

“She’s…a Muslim?” Cassie echoed

“Yes,” CJ nodded as she slathered an unhealthy amount of butter on her dinner roll “that going to be a problem?” she asked as she stuffed the roll into her mouth “’cause if it is, there’s the door” she added

“CJ, don’t talk with your mouth full” Astra called from the kitchen

“Uh…CJ, sweetie…” Mrs. Sandsmark began hesitantly

“And here we go” Alex groaned

“Now, now, she’s entitled her opinion. Let’s hear her out” General Lane advised

“Why?” Lucy wondered “so she can start repeating the same Islamaphobic rhetoric that’s been plaguing this country since 9/11?”

“Lucy” General Lane warned

“No, no let her speak,” Winn interrupted “we might learn something”

General Lane glowered at him

“Mr. Schott…” he began

“Oh boy, now you’ve done it,” Lucy muttered “nice going, Schott”

“Hey, come on! Don’t be like that” Kara pleaded

“Oh leave her alone,” Winn dismissed “she’s been cranky all month”

“Excuse me! _I’m_ cranky?!” Lucy laughed “well, I’m sorry. But unlike you, I’m actually thinking about our child’s future. _Not_ sitting on my ass all day playing video games”

“Oh yeah right, like you’re not there playing right along with me!”

“Hey, come guys, let’s just calm down” James pleaded

“You stay out of this, Olsen!” Lucy snapped

“Lucy! Hey! That’s my husband you’re snapping at” Kara yelped

“Excuse me, Lucy?” Mrs. Olsen interupted “I’ll thank you not to talk to my son like that”

“Oh leave him, Marie, he’s an adult now,” General Lane tried “stop fauwning over him like this one” he nodded to Mrs. Sandsmark

“Excuse me?!” both women demaned of him

“You see? You see?” Lucy groaned, glowering at her father “you see what you did?”

“What _I_ did?!”

******

**The present…**

“Oh my god!” Alura groaned “you know what—just…no. No, I’m not going to deal with this fucking shit right now” she proclaimed, waving her hands as she stalked off to the kichen

“Did you know that she had such a foul mouth?” Mrs. Sandsmark demanded of her daughter

“Mom! God! Just drop it!”

Pushiug the door to the kitchen open, Alura groaned and leaned against it, sighing at the sudden peace, silence, and….the smell of burning meat?

Opening her eyes, she blinked and frowned at the sight of Astra basting a turkey with one hand, mixing stuffing with her other, and baking the ham with heat vision

“Uh…did I come at a bad time?” Alura ventured “cause…I can go back out there if you want?” she offered

“No, no,” Astra shook her haed as she bliked, stopping her heat vision “I see that dinner is turning into a warzone” she commented

“Yeah, that’s putting it mildly,” Alura muttered “hey, why can’t we hear them in here?” she wondered suddenly, realizing the sound of a massive argument taking place less than twelve feet from them was muffled and distorted

“Look up”

Looking up at the ceiling, Alura saw what looked like three smoke detectors

“…Smoke…detectors?” she asked skepetically

“No,” Astra laughed “only one of them is a smoke detector. The other is a carbon mixnoxide detector, and the third, is a white noise generater”

“A white noise generater?”

“Mmhm,” Astra nodded “the white noise is just enough drown out that infurnal racket,” she explained “how do you think I survived for so long with a toddler who asked ‘why’ twenty seconds a day?”

“Yeah, that sounds like CJ,” Alura chuckled “so, any pointers on how to put down the revolt out there?” she wondered

Astra turned to her, smirking as she washed and dried her hands

“Keep an eye on the turkey will you?” she requested…

******

Astra took a breath as she marched up to the table. No one seemed to be immue to the argument, even Kara and James—who usually the calmest people that Astra knew—were caught up in the middle of it.

From what she could see, it looked like that Kara and James were defending Alura and her faith, while Mrs. Sandsmark and General Lane were caught up in some Islamaphobic crap, Mrs. Sandsmark’s rhetoric seemed to be more out of concern for her daughter any real genunine Islamaphobia, while General Lane’s, by contrast, seemed to be genuine, while Alex seemed to be accusing Lane of every sin on Earth ever since the dawn of time.

J’onn and Eliza and Mrs. Olsen tried—unsuccessfully—to referee the two side, while a _second_ argument between Lucy and Winn over who would be a more responsible parent played out right alongside the first (probably just first child jitters), while—at the same time—Lucy was arguing with her father, which only made things worse.

As Astra watched, Mrs. Sandsmark suddenly picked up a dinner roll and drew her arm back, ready to throw it any second

“ _PUT. THAT. DOWN!!!_ ” Astra bellowed.

Everybody froze and turned to stare at her, stunned and shocked

“I am appalled at you all!” she hissed “no, that’s wrong, I am _disgusted_ by all of you right now. This was suppose to be a nice, pleseant gathering,” she glowered at each and everyone of them “our children— _all_ —our children have been through so much these past few months without us _adding_ to the stress,” she took a breath “now, Mrs. Sandsmark, I understand your concerns, but, rest assured, my grandniece is _not_ a fundimentialist Musilm, _nor_ is she a terrorist, General,” she gave General Lane a firm ‘look’ before she turned to Winn and Lucy “you two, I’m surprised at,” she shook her head “but…I understand it. You’re both scared that you’re going to be bad parents. Well, let me tell you right now, you will _never_ stop worrying about that. Never,”

She gave each and every one of them a hard look

“In fact,” she began “it seems to me, that the only person at this table who _wasn’t_ caught up in a petty sqabble, was CJ”

“Where…is CJ?” Alex wondered as she looked around, finding that the table was now missing one Goth

“More to the point, where’s Cassie?” Mrs. Sandsmark wondered…

******

“There,” CJ stepped back and turned Cassie towards the mirror towards “what’d you think?” she asked as Cassie examined her reflection, both startled and delighted by the grey-while skull-like visage that stared back at her

“This is _so_ cool!” she exclaimed with a grin “and you can do this with just costume makcup?”

“Yep,” CJ nodded “prosthetics can help, but if you’ve got a good enough eye for light and shadow you can make a pretty convincing monster look with just costume makeup,” she explained as she applied her own usual style of black eyeliner and black lipstick “your Mom would probably have a heart attack once she saw you like that,” she chuckled

Both girls froze and slowly looked up at each other…

“I just had a really, really terrible, awful idea” CJ began

“Me too” Cassie nodded

“I’ve got a black wig…,” CJ began “and…,” she gestured between them “we’re about the same size…”

Grinning madly at each other, both girls eagerly dove into the makeup kit sitting on the sink…

******

Alura cautiously peeked around the door, frowning as Astra nodded for her to come out

“Everybody going to start yelling again?” she asked as the rest of the group all found somewhere else to look instead of looking at her or each other

“Alura…” Kara began, only to trail off in chastised silence, suddenly finding her plate very interesting

“It’s fine, Mom,” Alura shook her head as she turned to General Lane and Mrs. Sandsmark “I’m only going to say this once: yes, I am a Musilm, I’m not a terrorist, I don’t want to hurt anyone, least of all anyone who just happens to worship differently than I do and especially not Cassie. Now, if you can’t accept that then there’s the door”

“Well said” CJ praised as she and Cassie walked out of CJ’s bedroom, earning a startled shriek from Mrs. Sandsmark

“Cassie! Your, your face!” she exclaimed, hands over her mouth in shock as she took in the skull makeup now adorning her daughter’s face. In addition to the makeup, CJ had also loaned her an old black lace dress and had painted her fingernails black, while a long black wig covered her sandy blonde hair, resulting in Cassie Sandsmark now resembling a Gothic undead bride. While CJ had gone back to her usual black lace dress, having added her own skull makeup.

“It’s just makeup, Mom!” Cassie laughed, doing a little runway-style twirl, the dress rustling as she did so “I kinda like this” she grinned as Alura came over to her, smirking

“You would,” she accused CJ playfully. Turning back to Cassie, she fingered the wig “not a bad look on you, actually” she commented

“That’s it!” Mrs. Sandsmrk declared “Cassie, get your things, we’re leaving” she ordered, already halfway to the door

“No” Cassie stated

Mrs. Sandsmark froze, slowly turning around to face her daughter, looking startled

“What?” she asked, sounding more confused than angry at the moment. Although that could change any second

“No,” Cassie repeated, a surprising amount of confidence in her voice. She even stood taller now, straighter, as if CJ’s little Gothic makeover had somehow given her a much-needed boost of confidence “I’m not going anywhere, not until you apologize” she declared

“Unitl _I_ apologize?” Mrs. Sandsmark demanded incrediously

“Yes,” Cassie insited “you insulted Alura, you insulted her parents, her _religion_ …” she trailed off and looked at her mother expectantly. Everyone waited, breaths held in anticipation as Mrs. Sandsmark stared at her daughter for a long moment, before she suddenly sagged, sighing in clear defeat

“Alura…Mrs. Danvers…Mr. Olsen…,” she began “I’m…sorry” she apologized.

Kara and James stood up, both offering their hands

“Apology accepted” Kara beamed as Alura glowered at the other woman, arms crossed defiantly

“You want to insult me? Fine. But you insult my faith?” she shook her head “not yet”

Mrs. Sandsmark nodded

“I…understand,” she began “and, in the future, I will try to do better” she vowed

“All right,” Astra sighed “now that that’s settled, perhaps we can all sit down to eat?” she suggested “I think the ham, at least, is done”

Now chattering eagerly, the group all hurried back to sit down, eagerly awaiting dinner as Astra came back with the ham and set it down on the table, carving several slices of varying thickness off it

“Hmm, it’s…a bit dry” James coughed

“A bit?” Lucy gagged “it tastes like cardboard!” she groaned, even as she kept eating

Astra groaned and let her head drop down onto the table…

******

As evening fell upon the city, Alura climbed out onto the fire escape and sat down in the little garden that Astra had set up years ago. Leaning against the cool brick, Alura put her earbuds in and adjusted the volume on her phone, sighing as the music began to play

“What are you listening to?”

Looking up, she smirked as Cassie leaned out the window

“Pucchini, _Madam Butterfly_ ” she answered

“Opera?” Cassie asked as she awkwardly climbed out onto the fire escape

“Yeah,” Alura shrugged “I know, not exactly fitting my tomboy image, but…I like it. I like Shakespeare too”

“Huh, that’s cool” Cassie nodded

“Hey, can I ask you a question?” Alura wondered, Cassie nodded “when did you first find out that you were gay?”

Cassie frowned

“I guess I always knew,” she began “it just sort of…felt right, you know? Liking girls instead of boy”

“I hear that,” Alura chuckled “so…how’d your mom take the news?”

“Actually, believe it or not, but she was fine with it”

“Really?” Alura’s eyebrows all but crawled off her head “I never would have guessed that in a million years”

“I know, right?” Cassie giggled as she scooted closer to Alura “hey,” she began “does this count as…a first date?”

“I dunno,” Alura shrugged “I guess so,” she shifted, turning to face Cassie fully “can I…? I mean, would you mind if…?”

“Yes…?”

“CanIkissyou?” Alura asked in a rush

Cassie giggled and blushed beneath the makeup

“OK” she grinned shyly

“OK?”

“OK”

Alura felt herself grin

“OK,” she leaned in and slowly, awkwardly, every nerve in her body trembling in both fear and anticipation, gently pressed her lips against Cassie’s. Pulling back, she felt like she’d run a marathon, her heart pounding in her chest so hard “that, uh,” her mouth felt heavy, tounge-tied “that was my first kiss” she mumbled shyly

“Mine too,” Cassie giggled “can…we do that again?”

“Sure!” Alura cringed at how eager she sounded as she leaned in and kissed Cassie a second time. Pulling back, she took a breath “we should…you know…probably get back inside”

“Oh. Yeah. Right, sure”

Both giving each other shy little looks, they climbed back inside to find that the adults now seemed to be, at least, behaving cvil towards each other if they weren’t actually enjoying each other’s company

“Ah,” Astra stood up “I believe the turkey is finally done” she announced

“Oh good, I’m starving,” Alura sighed as she sat down next to Cassie “so, that was really your first kiss?” she asked

“Whoa! Whoa! Hold on! Time out!” Kara exclaimed. She stared at her daughter “you just had your first kiss?” she demanded

“Uh, well…yeah” Alura admitted, both she and Cassie fidgeting and blushing like no tomorrow

“And you weren’t going to tell me?” Kara sounded downright hurt

“Geez, Mom, do you want to hear when I lose my virginity too?” Alura groaned

“Oh come on! We’re eating here!” Winn complained

“Wait,” Cassie looked up at Alura “you’re still a virgin?” she asked

“Cassandra!” Mrs. Sandsmark exclaimed, which was completely ignored by everyone else as Astra set the turkey down and, seeing that no one was paying attention, left it for the moment while she went back into the kitchen to get the sides

“Yeah,” Alura answered “why is that such a big surprise?” she wondered “I think the bigger surprise is that CJ isn’t anymore,”

A stunned silence suddenly fell over the table, utensils dropped out of hands as the entire table—minus perhaps Kara and Alex—turned to stare between Alura and CJ as a loud crash made everyone look over to where Astra stood in the doorway to the kitchen, the shatter remains of a gravey boat now at her feet, gravy rapidly staining the carpet as she stared at CJ, looking completely and utterly shocked.

“Wha, what?” she hissed

“Uh…yeah,” CJ nodded, cringing “I’m not a virgin anymore, Mother. Sorry”

Astra blinked, a muscle in her jaw jumping

“OK,” Alex slowly stood up “now, Astra—Astra! Astra! Grab her! Grab her!” she suddenly cried as Astra suddenly collapsed into a dead faint…


	65. The Thanksgiving From Hell, Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SIXTY-FIVE! Enjoy folks :=)

******

Astra sat up with a slight gasp, jerking back in surprise at the sight of the rest of the Superfamily all peering donw intently at her

“Easy,” Alex rested a hand on her shoulder “relax”

“Little hard to do with all of you standing over me like that” Astra muttered

“Guys, come on,” Alex waved a hand “give her some space”

The rest of the family backed off as Astra slowly sat up, realizing that she was on the couch

“I see that our guests have left” she noted as she sat up

“Couldn’t get out the door fast enough,” Alex muttered “on the upside, Mrs. Sandsmark seems to be fine with Cassie dating Alura”

“Oh joy,” Astra drawled as she rubbed at her forehead “where’s CJ?”

“Holed up in her room,” Alex shrugged. She bit her lip “I, uh, er, I already knew about… _it_ beforehand” she confessed

Astra’s head snapped up

“What?!” she demanded “how?”

“That was my fault,” Alura sheepishly held up a hand “I _might_ have, you know, kinda…blurted it out a few months back when we were at the zoo” she admitted

“Yeah,” Kara nodded “and then Alex told me. And then I told James

“Who told me,” Winn shrugged “and then I might have told Lucy, and, well…,” he trailed off and shrugged sheepishly “sorry, man” he mumbled

“So, in other words,” Astra began “you all knew and saw fit to keep it a secret from me”

“Uh…” was the collective response

“And may I ask _why_ you all thought it was a good idea to keep something like this a secret from me?” Astra wondered as she stood up and began absently straightening up the room

“Seriously?” Alex raised an eyebrow “you seriously have to ask us that?” she sighed “let’s be honest here. You’ve always been a little…overprotective when it comes to CJ” she explained hesitantly

The book Astra’s hand suddenly snapped in half

“OK, you know what? Let’s just…take this…,” Alex gently eased the ruined book out of her wife’s hand and then gently eased her back down onto the couch “look,” she began “I would _love_ it if CJ were still that cute little girl with a big mop of curls who always pestered us with questions, I would. But…she’s growing up, Astra, OK? She’s _sixteen_. In two years she’ll be able to vote and join the military—”

“Don’t say that!” Astra hissed

“ _And_ ,” Alex continued “a few years after that, she’ll have graduated from high school and, if we’re very lucky, be on her way to Stanford or UCNC,” she gently brushed a lock of hair away from Astra’s face “but she will also _always_ be our little girl. And nothing is going to change that. Ever. Including her having sex”

Astra visibly shuddered at the last part of that statement

“I know,” Alex nodded, looking equally as disturbed as she held Astra close “trust me, I know…”

******

Meanwhile, CJ frantically paced the length of her room. She had chewed her fingernails and was considering possibly starting on her toenails as well as possibly tearing her hair out in clumps when the door opened and she froze like the proverbial deer in the headlights as Astra and Alex both stood in the doorway

“Sit down, please,” Astra requested softly as she and Alex came into the room, shutting the door behind them

CJ sat down on the bed, absently twirling the lone lock of blue in her hair around her finger as Astra did the same as she and Alex sat down next to CJ

“I…I…don’t know where to begin,” Astra began “I…it…you’re so young,” she shook her head in disbelief “ _so_ young” she reiterated

“I’m six _teen_ , Mother,” CJ reminded her gently “in two years’ time I’ll be able to vote”

Astra shook her head frantically, shuddering

“Oh, Mother,” CJ took Astra’s hands “look at me,” she encouraged “look at me,” she repeated when Astra didn’t look up “I didn’t do it because….I thought that it was what I should be doing, I did it because I felt that I was ready for it. And I was ready,” she chuckled to herself “boy was I ready,”

Astra grimiced

“Oh. Sorry,” CJ apologized “too soon, eh?”

“ _Way_ too soon” Alex grumbled

******

Meanwhile, out in the living room, Alura climbed back out onto the fire escape and found herself staring out at the rapidly-darkening cityscape, wondering about the events of today

“So…,” Kara’s voice brought her back, and turning, she found her mother leaning out of the window “first kiss, huh?” Kara asked

Alura felt her face heat up

“Uh, yeah,” she nodded stupidly “yeah”

“How was it?” Kara asked

“Nice,” Alura nodded, her voice cracking slightly as she answered “very nice”

“Just…nice?” Kara asked

“Yeah,” Alura’s face fell “I guess I was expecting…I don’t know…”

“Fireworks?” Kara laughed “maybe a brass band? Something like that?”

“Something like that,” Alura nodded “so, what does this mean?” she wondered

“It means that you’re normal,” Kara explained “do you still like like Cassie?”

“Yeah” Alura nodded

“Then give it a shot” Kara encouraged as she slipped back inside. Frowning, Alura pulled out her phone and pulled up Cassie’s number, the two girls having exchanged numbers after Alura had invited Cassie over to thanksgiving dinner. Taking a breath, Alura closed her eyes and pressed ‘CALL’, waiting as the phone rang

“ _Hello?_ ” Cassie answered

“Cassie. Hi. It’s, uh, it’s Alura,” Alura mentally groaned at her nervousness “uh, can you talk? Or is your Mom going to confiscate your phone?”

“ _Oh, no,_ ” Cassie laughed “ _no, I can talk. Mom’s still freaked out by the makeup,_ ” she explained “ _I think I might keep this look for awhile, actually_ ” she admitted

“Well, you do look good,” Alura chuckled “so, listen,” she began “uh, well, tomorrow’s Black Friday, and, uh, we don’t have school, so, uh, do you…wanna maybe…hang out?” she cringed as the question squeezed out of her throat

“ _I’d love to_ ” Cassie replied instantly

“Really?” Alura couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice “uh, yeah, OK, OK, sure, uh CJ wll probably want to tag along, but if that’s not OK I can kick her to the curb”

“ _No, no, tha, that’s OK,_ ” Cassie replied “ _I like CJ, she’s cool_ ”

“If you say so,” Alura chuckled “so, uh, where do you want to go tomorrow? The mall? Maybe just a fast food place?”

“ _Uh, is the musem OK?_ ” Cassie ventured

“The museum? Yeah sure,” Alura nodded, hoping that it wasn’t going to some modern art thing, she never understood modern art “OK, cool, the museum. So, uh, I’ll call you?”

“ _OK, that’s sounds cool_ ” Cassie replied

“OK,” Alura nodded “so, uh, see you tomorrow?”

“ _Tomorrow_ ” Cassie confirmed

“OK. Bye”

“ _Bye_ ”

Hanging up, Alura took a slow breath as she looked skyward at the first couple of stars peeking out

“ _ **YES**_!!!!!”


	66. Leftovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SIXTY-SIX! Enjoy! :=)

******

Winn glanced at Lucy as he turned the corner, gently pulling the car to a stop at a red light. Turning off the radio, he took a breath

“Look,” he began “I’m sorry about that…cranky crack earlier,” he muttered “that was mean”

In the passenger seat, Lucy sighed

“No, I’m sorry,” she groaned “I have been cranky lately,” she admitted “but that’s only because I’m worried that you’re not taking this seriously,” she shifted as best she could and getstured to her pregnant belly “we are going to have a _child_ , Winn”

“Yeah, I know that” Winn nodded

“Do you?” Lucy challenged “because sometimes it doesn’t seem like it”

“No, no, I do, I do,” Winn nodded as he turned to face her “it’s just…kids are tougher than you think, Luce, and I know that this is going to sound horribly ironic coming from me of all people, but…with our backgrounds and our parental history, this kid will grow up with a kickass mom and dad”

Lucy snorted out a half-laugh

“How do you know?” she wondered

“Because we won’t repeat the mistakes our parents did. Especially not me,” he vowed “all right?”

Smiling, she took his hand, squeezing tightly

“All right” she agreed softly

“So…are we…OK?” he wondered hestiently

“We’re OK” she whispered, leaning in for a quick kiss, only to pull back at an angry honk from behind them

“ _The light’s_ green, _lovebirds! Move it!_ ”

Winn and Lucy looked at each other and then at the irate driver behind them

“Idiot” they both muttered as Winn shifted back into drive and stepped on the gas…

******

The next morning, after finishing her morning prayers, Alura took a breath as she double-checked her list, cell phone? Check. Wallet? Check. Stomach acid eating away at her gut and giving her the mother of all ulcers? Definetely check. Maybe she should have had a larger breakfast?

Leaning against the sink, she glanced at the girl in the mirror, taking note of the high cheekbones, moca-colored skin, and bright blue eyes currently filled with near-abject terror as she stepped back and examined her outfit, suddenly wondering if it was too late to change. She’d kept her usual blue jeans and t-shirt attire, but chose a black t-shirt that was no less worn than her others, but less threadbare, the cotton fabric smooth and easy on the skin, but not so threadbare as to be see-through, the Areosmith logo was actually legible this time. The jeans were a dark blue and were fairly new; they were still a little stiff at the waist and the knees, while her sneakers had been swaped out for a good, sturdy pair of seldom-used black work boots.

 _‘Christ,’_ she suddenly thought _‘if I didn’t look butch before, I certainly do now’_

“Alura,”

She turned at the voice, seeing Kara leaning in the doorway. Approaching her daughter, Kara took Alura by the shoulders

“You’re going to do fine” she promised

“Am I?” Alura questioned, looking doubtful

“Yes, you will,” Kara insited with a smile “c’mon,” she encouraged “you’re _Supergirl’s_ daughter. You can do _anything_ ”

Alura snorted out a half-laugh and pulled Kara close

“Thnaks, Mom” she whispered

Kara squeezed her tighter

“Anytime, Bumblebee” she whispered

“Mom…,” Alura pulled back with a frown “are you… _crying_?” she asked

Kara sniffled loudly and suddenly yanked Alura tighter

“Oh! Don’t grow up yet!” she sobbed, squeezing Alura tighter

“Mom! Too tight! Too tight!” Alura wriggled and squirmed, her sneakers slipping on the tile, as she tried to get out of Kara’s death grip “Mom! Let go!”

“What’s going on?” James poked his head into the doorway, sighing at the sight of Kara holding Alura in a death grip, while Alura’s sneakers continued to slip and squeak on the bathroom’s tiled floor as she tried—and failed—to escape Kara’s hug of death

“Dad! Help me out here will ya?!”

“All right, Kara?” James swiftly came over and put his hands atop of Kara’s “come on, Kara, come on, let her go” he encouraged, which only earned a frantic shake of a Kara’s head and a tightening grip on their daughter

“OK!” Alura grunted as she finally managed to squeeze down and out of Kara’s grip, dropping down to the floor in a crouch (and getting an unfortunate look up her mother’s skirt) as she did “ah! Finally!” she gasped out as she straightened up as Kara collapsed into James’ arms, sniffling.

“OK,” Alura took a breath “Alex and Astra are going to drop me and CJ off at the museum,” she explained “we’ll be gone an hour, two, tops. I’ll call you guys or somebody in the family if anything goes wrong. All right?”

“Be good” James called out after her as she turned to leave. She paused in the doorway, flashing him a grin that reminded him far too much of Astra

“Aren’t I always, Dad?” she teased…


End file.
